


A Match Made in Oakdale

by suzvoy



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting to Know Each Other, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Noah Was A Bad Boyfriend, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-17 15:32:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 49,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16519169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suzvoy/pseuds/suzvoy
Summary: Reid's having a really bad day when he comes to and realises he's been kidnapped. What makes it even worse is that Luke Snyder's been taken, too, and is currently standing in the cell next to his.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A 50k Luke/Reid fic, rated R. At this point, I think I'm going to end up going through all the fic tropes one by one ;) Tee hee hee. So, an AU fic that's mostly based in the show canon and then takes a different path. It doesn't follow everything in the show exactly. For the purposes of this fic, Reid has agreed to stay in Oakdale until Noah's surgery is complete, but then he's out of there. He's not the Head of Neurology and he and Luke are still not fans of each other, so it's set relatively early in their storyline :D :D :D The one big difference between this fic and ATWT itself is that Damian's storyline doesn't happen. He doesn't betray anyone, he doesn't fake his own death, etc. He is still very much in Oakdale because he wants to have a relationship with his son.
> 
> The medical stuff in this is iffy at best (and outright wrong at other times, ahem) – much like medical stuff in soap operas everywhere. Take it with a grain of salt. The plot is about as credible as most soap plots too, but hey, that's not why we read these things ;) This is set in a universe where anyone can donate blood, etc, regardless of who they're sleeping with. Shocking, I know.
> 
> Many, many thanks to the wonderful nel and d, as always <3
> 
> Feedback would be fab!

Reid's head felt groggy as hell when he finally reached consciousness. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so tired after having a full night's sleep.

His body became aware of more details as he woke up fully. He was pretty cold. His bed felt suspiciously cheap and uncomfortable, not at all like the one he'd been sleeping on in Katie's place for the past month or so. And now that he thought about it, he didn't actually remember falling asleep at all last night. In fact, the last thing he remembered was walking out into the hospital car park, arguing with Luke-

Reid shot up in bed as he finally realised that he wasn't sleeping in his own bed because he _hadn't made it home last night_. He stumbled around in horror as his brain tried to accept the fact that he was locked inside some kind of prison cell and standing in the cell right next to his, watching Reid carefully, was Luke freaking Snyder.

Reid's brain – still mostly in shock, admittedly – could only jump to one conclusion. “What did you do?”

Having the balls to actually looked surprised at the accusation, Luke made a face. “Seriously?” he gestured around at his own cell, which was just as obviously locked. “Yeah, clearly, _I'm_ the one responsible for putting us in here.”

“Well, you never know with you,” Reid remarked, studying the lock and giving the door to the cell a good shove. Nothing. “You're capable of anything.” He started walking around the cell, testing the strength of each bar, one by one. They'd clearly been there for a while and had seen better days, but were holding fast. “You basically kidnapped me here in the first place-”

“Blackmailed,” Luke pointed out, which really didn't make him sound any better, as he was no doubt going for, “I'd think someone with a head as big as yours would know the difference.”

“You got me arrested,” Reid continued, pressing different points in the wall experimentally. What he wouldn't give for some hand sanitiser right about now...

“You got yourself arrested,” Luke shot back, “and I'd remind you that it was only my testimony that got you cleared of everything.”

“Well aren't you a Good little Samaritan?” he asked, having come to the conclusion that, sadly, he was not getting out of this cell anytime soon. Not without a key, at any rate. A quick feel around his body confirmed that he had no phone, no wallet – not even his watch. Closing his eyes, Reid moved away from the wall and grasped a bar in each hand, letting out a long, slow breath. This was fine. He was fine. He could do this.

“What are you doing?” Luke asked, sounding frankly alarmed.

Reid's shoulder's tensed. He hated the idea of showing weakness – especially to him – but right now, ludicrous as it seemed, Luke Snyder might be his only ally. “I'm not a – fan. Of being contained.”

It didn't take Luke long to work it out. “You're claustrophobic? Oh, that's just what we need-”

“Yeah, sorry that my perfectly legitimate phobia is your main problem right now,” Reid barked, opening his eyes. “But I'll be fine. It's not like there are four walls closing in on me. There's just...two walls...and some bars.” He nodded. “It'll be fine.” He had plenty of room to breathe, he knew that, but he also knew that he was trapped, under someone else's control and _aw, hell_ -

“Okaaaay, Dr Oliver,” Luke's voice said, suddenly a lot closer, “clearly I did not take your claustrophobia seriously, and I apologise.” Reid snorted, trying to get himself under control. “Um,” Luke continued, “try letting something else distract you. Focus on the sound of my voice-”

“Right,” he interrupted, “because the thing I want to focus on the most right now is your voice.”

“Well I don't see any alternatives around here,” Luke snapped back. “Unless you'd rather wait for our kidnappers to arrive – maybe you'd find one of them a better conversationalist.”

That did give him something else to concentrate on, at least. Prying his sweaty hands from the bars, he turned to Luke. “You seen anybody yet?”

“Just you. Haven't heard anything, either. My door wont budge. I've already tested all the bars and walls on my side – there's no way out. Squeezing through the bars was impossible. The window's too small and there's bars across it anyway.” Luke eyed him. “What's the last thing you remember?”

He cricked his head from side to side. “We were arguing. In Memorial's car park.”

“But Dr Oliver,” Luke joked, “that describes so many days.”

That actually made him smile, briefly. Closing his eyes, Reid tried to recall more details. “I remember hearing the sound of tyres squealing, probably as they pulled up, but then there was a pain in-” His neck, he suddenly remembered, hand flying up to the spot in question. He couldn't feel anything there now, but he knew it'd happened. “They injected us with something.” There were any number of injectable drugs they could've used – propofol, fentanyl, diazepam, to name just a few. Not to mention animal tranquillizers, though as with all of the drugs, they'd have had to get the dose high enough to be effective without using too much and overdosing.

Assuming they didn't want them dead. But as they both currently still breathing, Reid took that as his working theory.

“That's what I figured, too,” Luke said, actually agreeing with him for once as he paced around his cell.

“I get why they took you,” Reid observed, still deducing, “your family are loaded.” Luke glared at him, but didn't disagree – he had no room to, because Reid knew he was right. “But why take me?”

“Maybe they needed a doctor?”

“I'm a very specific type of doctor,” he explained, looking around at the crumbling walls that'd obviously seen better days. “And this sure as hell doesn't seem like the kind of place where they'd want me to perform brain surgery.” Hell, he'd flat out refuse to, under these circumstances. Despite what some people thought, Reid very much had a code of ethics. No, the more he thought about it... “Maybe I was incidental.”

Luke clearly didn't get it. “Incidental?”

“You were the target,” he said, “maybe I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Typical,” he shook his head, smirking at himself.

“What is?”

“That I end up kidnapped at all, because of course that's the next thing that was going to happen to me in this hellhole of a town. And the person I end up stuck with?” he glared at Luke. “Is you.”

Completely unimpressed, Luke folded his arms across his chest. “You're not exactly my idea of good time either, Doctor.”

“Hell, this is probably all your fault.”

“And how's that?”

“For being so rich in the first place,” Reid explained. “Your family hoard money like it's running out of style. It's unconscionable, in this day and age. If you and your family didn't have so much cash you probably wouldn't have ended up being held for ransom at all.”

“Right, it's my family having money that's the real problem, not the kidnappers,” Luke said sarcastically, “and that's assuming money is the reason we were even taken.”

“Well, what other reason is there?” For Reid, it was definitely the most logical answer. Then again, he did live in Oakdale now, and it seemed to be the little town that logic forgot.

“I am Damian Grimaldi's son,” he argued. “And though he's changed, a lot, in the past he did some...questionable things.”

“Somebody in _your_ family,” Reid faked a shocked voice, “did something _unethical?_ ”

“My point is,” Luke flared his nostrils, arms still tightly crossed, “this could be...revenge, or some kind of power play.”

Great. “So you're telling me I'm probably stuck here because a) your family make Bill Gates look destitute, or b) your family have a history of criminal wrong doing, the type of thing that inspires revenge from the people they screwed over.”

“Yes, Doctor,” he said sharply, “that's what I'm telling you.”

“Wonderful.” Throwing himself down onto the bed, he sat on the edge and kept his back to Luke. “This kind of stuff never happened before you dragged me here. I had a perfectly normal life. I never got arrested before coming here, not even once-”

“And with your shiny, happy personality, too?” Luke asked. “Imagine that.”

Reid made a face even knowing Luke couldn't see it. “And now a kidnapping. My life has been made worse in innumerable ways ever since you made that first damn phone call.”

“Funny,” he remarked, “I never took you for the kind of man who'd sit around feeling sorry for himself.”

Incensed by that comment, Reid stood and spun around to face him. “You think you know anything about me?”

“I've finally started getting good at reading people, Dr Oliver,” Luke told him, “and I know you're the kind of man who just wants to get things over and done with. So tell me – what do we do now? What should our first course of action be?”

Reid was trying to formulate a response when they heard footsteps approaching, both of them turning towards the door at the far side of the room. “Right now,” Reid said quietly, “we separate. And do everything possible to convince them that we can't stand each other.”

“That'll be hard,” Luke muttered, but started moving to the other side of his cell anyway.

When the door finally unlocked and creaked open, a single man walked inside. He was wearing an actual balaclava which, while ridiculous, gave Reid greater hope that they didn't mean to kill them. Hiding their faces likely meant they intended someone to survive and they didn't want to be identified afterwards.

The guy said nothing at all and with only his eyes and his mouth exposed, Reid couldn't really get a read on him. He was carrying a tray of food, at least, the sight of which set Reid's stomach rumbling. It wasn't much – looked like a simple sandwich and a bottle of water – but Reid would take it.

Carefully placing the tray on the floor, thankfully within reach of their cells, he then started backing up towards the exit.

Reid wanted to ask if they were going to get more than one sandwich to share – hell, he wanted to ask a lot of things – but even he thought it would be a bad idea to tick off their kidnapper. Or one of them, at any rate.

Luke, apparently, had no such compunction. “You know who I am?” he demanded, approaching the front of his cell, looking for all the world like being kidnapped was just a minor inconvenience.

“What are you _doing?_ ” Reid hissed, but of course Luke ignored him.

“I said, do you know who I am?” he repeated, as Balaclava Guy hadn't done anything but stare at him yet – probably in shock that his boneheaded kid thought he could get away with sassing his kidnapper.

“We know everything we need to know,” Balaclava Guy finally ground out, voice completely unfamiliar.

Luke lifted his head. “What's my name?”

Balaclava Guy glanced over to Reid, who wanted absolutely nothing to do with what was currently happening. “Don't look at me, this is all him.”

Luke's actions seemed to be working, remarkably, as Balaclava Guy finally said, “Luke Snyder. Your family has a lot of money.” Seemed this was about a ransom, after all.

“And my dad's name?”

Balaclava Guy, who until then had had the patience of a saint – despite being a kidnapper – seemed to have reached his limit. “What is this, twenty questions?”

“If you have any hope at all of getting whatever it is you want,” Luke said with determination, “then you'll answer my question.”

Reid stared at him in horror. “What is _wrong with you?_ ”

Luke didn't answer, of course, just completely and utterly ignored his existence.

It was kind of annoying, if Reid were honest.

But it freaking worked again, as Balaclava Guy said, “Holden Snyder.”

“Uh huh,” Luke nodded, “and my biological father?”

Even through the balaclava, Reid could see the way the guy's eyes widened, face probably frozen in shock – this was information he didn't have before.

Luke saw it, too. “You didn't know,” he said with amusement, then turning to look at Reid, “he doesn't even know.” Now, at least, they knew it had nothing to do with Damian. “Okay, this is what you're going to do, Frank – I'm going to call you Frank-”

“That's not even my name-”

“I don't care,” Luke interrupted, and holy shit, they were going to die. “Frank, you're going to go back to your little friends and this time, you're actually going to do your homework. You're going to find out everything you can about Damian Grimaldi. G-R-I-M-A-L-D-I. You got that?” Frank nodded dumbly.

So did Reid.

“Good,” Luke continued, “and then you have two choices. Either you can let us go and run, or you can stay and fight. The choice is up to you, of course, but let me make this clear,” he grabbed a bar in each hand, pressing up against the metal, “when he comes for me – and he will come for me – if you're still here when that happens, there'll be nothing left to identify you with.”

Saying nothing, Frank just turned and bolted out of the room.

Luke stood there, for at least another ten seconds, face utterly impassive. Until he turned to Reid, when his face was suddenly animated and overemotional, “Oh my God,” he said urgently, “you think he actually bought that?”

Reid could only stare at him. “That was an act?”

He rolled his eyes. “I'm really not like that, Doctor Oliver.”

“Says the guy who blackmailed me,” Reid reminded. “But why do all that anyway? He could've just as easily have shot you.”

“I didn't see a gun. And now we know why they've taken us,” Luke told him, “plus, I needed to speed things up, try and move along whatever timetable they have.”

Reid didn't get it. “Other than the obvious 'get away from the kidnappers' reason, why?”

“Look, this is not my first time being kidnapped. And it's the...” he thought about it for a minute, “fourth time I've been held against my will.” Wow. Maybe Luke's life hadn't been quite as privileged as Reid had always believed. “They're opportunistic kidnappers. Probably new to the area, heard about a local family that has some money, did some basic digging around before making their move. Would explain why you got tangled up in all this as well.”

Reid could see Luke's logic. If they'd really done their homework they would've picked a time when they absolutely knew Luke was going to be alone, would've known about Damian.

“And because they didn't dig around anywhere nearly well enough, our kidnapping is really not the biggest issue right now.”

Reid gestured to the everything that surrounded them. “How is being kidnapped not our biggest issue right now?”

“Because,” Luke turned to look at the sun through the small, barred hole that served as a window, “two, three? Hours ago. I should've had my meds. And something tells me they don't have any.”

Reid hadn't even known Luke needed meds for anything. “What meds?”

“Azathioprine, among others.”

Surprised, Reid looked over Luke's body. He couldn't see any obvious sign, but then there was no reason he would, yet. “Which organ?”

“The kidney,” Luke confirmed. “And missing even one dose could mean-”

Rejection starting. “Yeah,” Reid said, “I know. How long ago was the transplant?”

“Nearly five years.”

Okay. “Well, look,” Reid began, “you might have missed this one dose but your family are gonna cough up the cash straight away, right? And then we'll be out, they'll get you straight to a hospital, and if need be they'll just buy you a shiny new kidney right away.”

“Why, Doctor Oliver,” he looked amazed, grinning, “are you actually trying to make me feel better?”

“Shocking as it may seem,” Reid sighed, “in the contest between hanging out with you and Frank? Turns out I'd rather hang out with you. I know, I know,” he added, “I was as amazed as anyone.”

Smiling some more, Luke then sat on the edge of his bed, studying Reid. His smile was long gone when he finally spoke again. “That's not going to happen anyway.”

Frowning, Reid stepped closer to the bars separating their cells. “What isn't?”

“My family,” Luke said, “they won't pay the ransom.”

Reid's brain screeched to a halt, and he knew he couldn't have possibly heard that correctly. “Of course they will. Not only can they afford it, your family all have that,” he waved a hand vaguely in Luke's direction, “lovey-dovey supportive crap. They'd do anything to get you back.”

“They would,” he nodded, “if they hadn't agreed to honour my wishes.”

Say what now? “Honour your wishes?”

“You were right,” Luke shrugged, a phrase Reid honestly never got sick of hearing, “we're rich. Kidnapping is a risk that comes with the territory. The only way to stop it from happening is to show them they're not getting what they want.”

Even if that meant putting his own life at risk? And in relation to that, Reid's life? Reid buried his head in his hands. “So you made them promise not to pay up the next time you got kidnapped? Oh my God, why are you such an imbecile?”

“Ah, there's the old Doctor Oliver I know and – know,” Luke finished awkwardly. “We should probably eat that food,” he remarked.

Yeah. Reid sighed. They probably should.

They split the sandwich – it was simple, a peanut butter and jelly – and the bread was dry, making Reid gag for a second but then it went down. When it came to the water, Reid had about a quarter of the bottle then insisted Luke have the rest.

“You need it more,” was all he said, knowing they needed to do the little they could to keep Luke's kidney function as high as possible.

For once, Luke didn't argue with him.

The kidnappers could've easily put something in the food or water, Reid knew that. He also knew that if they wanted to keep Luke healthy, he needed to eat and drink.

They hadn't heard or seen anything from Frank – or any of their other kidnappers – when dusk started to fall. That was also when Luke finally cracked.

“Okay,” he announced out of nowhere, “I'm going to have to pee into his bottle.”

Holding urine in wasn't going to do his kidneys are favours, either. Reid just calmly shifted to give him some privacy. “At some point we're both gonna have to do a lot more than just pee,” he remarked as Luke made use of the bottle.

“How about,” Luke's voice suggested, “we agree that what happens in these cells, stays in these cells? And that even though we poke and make fun, we never use anything that happens or is said here against each other? When we get out,” he added, “because we are getting out.”

Reid couldn't agree with his positivity, but he could agree with everything else. “Deal.”

There was some awkward fumbling, the sound of a zipper being done up, followed by the sound of the lid being screwed on. “You want the bottle?”

“Not really,” Reid said truthfully, even as he turned and held out a hand, “but it's better than peeing on the floor.”

They'd probably end up having to do that anyway, though.

By the time night had fallen, it seemed clear Frank wasn't going to return. At least not today. Luke had already stood on his bed and looked out the tiny window, but said there was nothing identifiable, just trees. Yelling hadn't attracted anyone's attention, either. There didn't seem to be a road or well-worn path within view, though there must've been one once, as this was clearly some kind of abandoned or condemned police station or jail or something.

“When I was a kid,” Luke said quietly, as they lay on their crappy beds in the darkness (Reid was laying in so many germs right now), “I used to hear stories about an old jail. None of my friends ever found it but they talked about it like they had, how the ghost of an old sheriff roamed the halls.” He chuckled to himself. “I wonder if this is the same place.”

“If people knew about it then,” Reid told him, “there's a chance someone could find it now.”

“Maybe,” Luke said, “but I haven't heard anyone mention it in a...long time. And I don't know what good knowing where we are would do, anyway. It's not like we can tell anyone.”

“Not right now,” he replied, “but if the opportunity arose, the information could come in useful.”

“Look at you, being the optimistic one,” Luke teased and Reid could even see his grin through the darkness.

“Sorry, I forgot for a moment. I'm supposed to be grumpy and miserable at all times.”

“That's more like it,” he smiled.

They looked at each other, for a while, before Luke yawned.

Reid shifted. “Get some rest. As the only doctor you're currently able to see, that's an order.”

“Sir, yes sir,” he said back, albeit with a lot less snap than it would've normally have had. Luke snuggled down against his own disgusting mattress, then, and closed his eyes.

Reid just lay there, waiting what he figured was a good hour, hour and a half, until he was absolutely sure Luke was asleep. Then he silently got back up and carefully went over every single millimetre off his cell, looking for something – anything – that'd get them out of there.

He found nothing.

*

Reid slept through most of the night after that, which he found something of a miracle given the state of his 'bed'. He was also more than a little cold. They'd lucked out that the area was apparently a little warmer than it usually was, this time of year, but it was hardly balmy. Sadly, there was no grace period this morning – he knew exactly where he was and exactly what'd happened. When he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up, he saw that Luke was already awake and watching him.

He was still laying on his own bed. But he looked...worried.

Reid had to swallow back something. “How you doing?”

Luke knew what he was really asking. “My back hurts.”

Shit. Already? But, okay, back pain didn't have to mean... “Where?”

“Lower back,” he said slowly, “right where my kidney is.”

Okay, so it did have to mean that. Reid stood up and started pacing. “Frank better get a move on.”

Luke just watched him pace for a while. “What if I did too good a job?”

“Mr Snyder,” Reid assured him, “trust me when I say you don't do a good job of anything – except making my life miserable.”

He didn't react how Reid expected. “You know being mean to me isn't going to work now, right?”

“It's worth a try,” he replied. “But, okay,” he gestured towards Luke, “tell me what you're talking about.”

“When I confronted Frank,” Luke explained. “What if I was too scary?”

“You're about as scary as a newborn kitten.”

“But you bought it, even if it was just for a little while,” he pointed out and honestly, Reid couldn't argue with him. He'd mostly been convinced they were going to die at the time, but he hadn't thought Luke was lying. “What if he did what I said, found out about Damian and just – panicked? And ran.”

Leaving them trapped there. With no food, no water – and no way out.

“Nah,” Reid found himself saying, “they're probably just developing a new plan – properly this time.”

Luke plainly knew he was lying. “Doctor Oliver...”

“Anyway,” he interrupted, “we need to kill some time until Frank comes back, so rather than sitting here in a depressing silence, I will instead bravely sacrifice myself to the cause and listen to you twitter on about whatever that foundation of yours has been doing lately.”

Luke just kept staring at him. “Reid.”

“Mr Snyder,” he emphasised, “please tell me what your foundation has been working on, so you can prove to me once and for-all that your money is actually doing something worthwhile and you're not just using it as some kind of tax break.”

That got some of the fire back in Luke's eyes, at least, as he sat up and started talking.

Reid found it no surprise whatsoever that Luke could talk endlessly if you just left him to it. Reid didn't even have to say that much – a comment in response, an occasional retort that'd get him fired up all over again. He even found himself playing Devil's Advocate for issues he completely agreed with Luke about, just so he'd stay energised and focused.

Some time after the sun had peaked, Luke finally stopped talking. Reid couldn't think up a single other question he could ask about the foundation, so was debating other topics when Luke admitted quietly, “I don't feel so good.”

Reid pressed his lips together. “Symptoms?”

“I feel...really tired,” he confessed. “Run-down. Sore – everywhere, now, not just my back.”

“Over here,” Reid instructed, standing and beckoning Luke towards the bars that separated them.

Complying immediately, Luke stood there patiently while Reid took his pulse, touched his forehead. “Pulse is a little quicker than it should be.” He didn't have his watch to keep perfect track, but he'd been doing this for a long time. “And you have a temperature. Lay down,” he instructed. Probably a fever.

“Because I've been exerting myself so much lately,” he said, though he followed Reid's instructions to the letter and his face was pinched when he got there – either with pain or concern.

There was nothing else for Reid to do. “So, how are things with you and Mr Mayer?”

Luke looked amazed. “You actually want to go there?”

“Why not?”

“Because the last time I mentioned my relationship with him, you said – and I quote – 'I couldn't care less about the personal lives of two idiots who can't make up their minds'.”

Shrugging, Reid remembered it well. “Still stand by that statement, by the way.”

“Exactly,” Luke argued, “so why ask about it now?”

“Because we were in a professional environmental,” he said quite rationally. “Talking about that kind of nonsense when I'm trying to work helps no one, especially your boyfriend.”

He apparently conceded the point. “Don't even know if he is my boyfriend, these days.”

“Aww,” Reid mocked, “are you in the off-again part of your constantly-revolving relationship?”

“I don't get it,” Luke said seriously, “you haven't been in Oakdale that long. How did you get this impression that we're always breaking up?”

“Try working in a hospital some time,” Reid informed him. “Trust me, whether you want to or not, you are going to hear every piece of gossip currently passing through whichever place you're working in.”

“People gossip about us?” he asked, scrunching his nose up and making an unpleasant face, clearly not liking the idea.

“Not exclusively,” Reid replied honestly. “You should hear the stuff I overhear about myself.” Luke produced a small, sad smile. Reid pressed on. “So – seriously. Has your relationship always been like that?”

“I guess?” Luke shrugged, gesturing with his hands. “We had a...difficult start. It's never been easy, if I'm really honest, but relationships take work, right?” Reid really wasn't sure who Luke was trying to convince the most. “I've felt for a while that...Noah always saw me as the perfect package deal. I had everything he didn't have. A big, loving family. Parents who didn't try to kill anyone when I came out.” Reid blinked at that little reveal. “But...I can't live up to that, you know? My family is...more than a little screwed up. And I'm far from perfect. He's never been particularly understanding when I inevitably mess up.”

Ah, Noah was one of those kinds of guys. “Let me guess – but he expects you to support him, no matter what?”

“Right,” Luke nodded, “the way a relationship should be.”

“Sure,” he said, because you could still support someone even if you didn't agree with their decision, “but then he doesn't give you that same support back.”

That seemed to catch Luke by surprise. “Uh, no,” he said carefully, eventually. “I guess not.”

“And you put up with this because...?”

“I...love him,” Luke answered, though it was clear even to himself that he knew that didn't justify putting up with Noah's crap.

“Yeah, well,” Reid remarked, “I'm hardly an expert on relationships, but maybe you should care a little more about yourself and a little less about everyone else.”

“Oh, like you?” Luke shot back. “Because you seem really happy, Doctor Oliver, especially when no one else can stand to be in the room with you.”

Reid had heard far worse. “Hey, if you don't like what I have to say then you never should've asked for my opinion in the first place.”

Luke looked at him like he was crazy. “But I didn't ask, you insisted,” he began and then either realised Reid was messing with him or saw the smile Reid couldn't quite hide completely. “Oh, very funny. Ass.”

“That's my name, don't wear it out.”

“At least you don't try to be something you're not, I guess. There's something almost...nice about that.”

Reid thought about that admission for a moment. “Did you just compliment me?”

“Try not to let it go to your head,” Luke said, eyeing him.

“Too late.”

“Things have been...weird lately,” he blurted out in a sudden change of topic. “With Noah.” He was obviously eager to talk about it with someone, even if that someone was Reid.

“Everything in Oakdale is weird,” Reid felt he had a responsibility to point out. “But what's this especially weird Noah-related incident?”

“Well,” Luke began, “you did get something right – we are 'off' at the moment – Noah said he needed some space, that he needed to figure out who he really was now, now that he's blind.”

Working out the kind of person you really are could certainly be a good thing, but... “And he needs to do that alone?”

“I guess.” Maybe. “But then the next thing he tells me is that he's thinking about moving in with Maddie, and that's just dredged up a whole slew of old issues.”

Reid literally had no idea who that was. “Maddie?”

“Maddie Coleman,” Luke offered, “Henry's younger sister?”

He finally made the connection. “Hank.” Katie's annoyingly dramatic friend. Or ex-husband, as she'd once admitted, though how that had ever happened was anyone's guess. “He has a sister?”

“Two, actually,” Luke said, “though the other one turned out to be a serial killer and as much as I like him, Henry is...Henry. Maddie's probably the only normal person in that family.”

Reid was still stuck somewhere around 'serial killer' so really couldn't be blamed when he said, without thinking, “Guess you know how that feels, huh?”

They were both silent for a few seconds, Reid as he realised exactly what he'd said, Luke as...well as he was probably thinking up the best way to mock him, if he were honest.

He was right.

“I can't quite decide if that's a dig at my family or a compliment to me. Both?” he asked rhetorically. “Either way, Dr Oliver,” he grinned, “you said something nice about me, this time.”

“Curses, the infection's spreading,” he said dramatically. “We need to find a cure, fast, or the next thing you know, people will be complimenting each other all over the place.”

“And God knows,” Luke played along, “we wouldn't want that.”

They smiled at each other for a while. Reid actually didn't want it to end, because at least Luke was happy instead of focusing on what was happening inside his body. “So why's Maddie Coleman dredging up all these 'issues'?”

“Oh,” Luke's face fell. “Well,” he sighed, like he knew he was going to take some crap for what he was about to say, “Maddie's who Noah was dating the first time we kissed.”

Reid certainly hadn't heard that piece of information in the gossip-filled halls of Memorial. “Dating as in holding hands, or dating as in-”

“Sex,” Luke said bluntly, “they were having sex.”

Huh. “So is Noah bi, or was he-?”

“-still in the closet?” Luke finished. “Yeah. He had a super strict upbringing and I think his dad just terrified the idea of being gay out of his head.”

Reid knew what was coming next. “Let me guess – and then you came along? Luke Snyder's gayness just couldn't be denied?”

Luke looked like he had to try really hard not to crack a smile. “You're ridiculous.”

“I'm just saying,” Reid drawled innocently, “you do tend to provoke strong reactions in people. Case in point,” he added, gesturing to himself.

“Trust me,” Luke said flatly, “our reaction to each other is nothing to do with me.”

“So you say,” Reid replied but, despite himself, actually wanted to know how things had worked out. “So, Noah and Maddie were dating?”

“Right,” he agreed, getting back on topic. “And after a _lot_ of drama, Noah finally came out and we started dating. Maddie was...really cool about the whole thing, much cooler than she had any right to be, to be honest. She didn't care that Noah was gay, just that he'd kept lying to her. I mean, he convinced her to change colleges and everything. She was meant to go to Wesleyan.”

Wow. Reid had seen some gay panic in his time, but that took some beating.

“Anyway,” Luke continued, “and I remind you that we agreed we will not be making fun or sharing anything that's said here, because that's the only reason I'm saying this much.” He pointed at Reid accusingly from his bed.

Holding his hands up innocently, Reid bowed his head. “I always honour a gentleman's agreement.” Sounded like this was going to be a doozy.

Somewhat satisfied, Luke drew his hand back and resumed his story, staring up at the dirty ceiling. “It always kind of – bothered me. That he jumped into bed with Maddie straight away and that's...really not happened with me.” Luke rubbed his hands over his face. “And God, that makes me sound like such a bad person, of _course_ he had a bunch of stuff to work out, all this internalised homophobia to deal with.”

“You're human, too,” Reid remarked, because while he couldn't blame Noah for needing time, he also hadn't been the only person in the relationship. “Your needs were no less valid that his.”

Luke turned his head to look at him. “That was surprisingly sweet.” Thankfully for both of them, he pressed on. “Anyway, Noah and I got closer – if not physically – and the last time Maddie came back to town was in the middle of the whole Brian thing.”

“Brian thing?”

“No mocking,” Luke reminded firmly, before saying, “my Grandma got married. And her new husband, Brian, kept hitting on me.”

Reid took a moment to process that he'd actually just heard what he'd thought he'd just heard. “Your Granddad made a move on you?”

“Even kissed me,” he confirmed. “Noah refused to believe any of it,” he continued, like that was a normal reaction for anyone to have. “We were going through a rough patch, I was drinking again,” which explained why he'd needed the kidney, “and we still hadn't slept together. Then suddenly Maddie was there, and the two of them were getting on so well, reminiscing over old times.” Yeah, this story wasn't about to end well. “One night, when I'd had a few drinks, I saw Noah and Maddie leaving together. I thought they were going to have sex, so...I kissed Brian. And Noah saw. Go ahead,” he added, “I know we had an agreement but you can laugh now.”

Reid couldn't do anything but look at him. “I don't think that's funny at all.” It really, really wasn't. It was downright tragic.

Shifting, eyes wet, Luke apparently decided to concentrate on the ceiling again. “Even though the sex thing isn't an issue anymore, Noah and I having trouble again and Maddie being back in town again...it's bringing up these old, complicated feelings.”

“Makes perfect sense to me,” Reid said honestly, because when it came to complicated relationship histories, Luke's really took the cake.

Luke just kept looking up. “I never told anyone all that before.” He chuckled a little mirthlessly. “Funny that it would be you.”

“Sometimes it helps to talk to an unbiased third party,” he offered, “or so I've heard.”

“Right,” Luke said, “because I'm sure you go blurting out all your relationship drama to the first person you come across.”

“That is a ridiculous idea,” Reid agreed, “though mostly because there's been no relationship drama to speak of. There's been no real relationships at all, really.”

“Really?” Luke asked, nose scrunching up. “You're – what? Early to mid 30s?”

“Thereabouts,” he nodded. “And you've met me, my personality is not the most approachable-”

“That's an amazing level of insight you have there, Doctor Oliver.”

Reid ignored him, because that didn't even deserve a response. “There were a couple of guys, sure, but they always ended up thinking they could change me-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Luke interrupted as he sat up, which was strictly against doctor's orders, “you're gay?”

That was some reaction. “Yes?”

Luke looked completely stunned. “Well why didn't you say anything?”

“What difference would it have made?” Being gay didn't change the way he did his job.

“I don't know,” he began dramatically, “it might have helped me and Noah, knowing we had something in common, something we knew you could relate to.”

“Look, I'm just there to do the job,” Reid argued, “I had no interest whatsoever in 'relating' with either one of you.” He paused, disturbed when he noticed the way Luke was grinning. “What?”

“You said 'had',” he gloated, “past tense.”

No doubt about it – he'd been caught out. “Well, having you as virtually my only company for the past God-knows how many hours may have made you a little more bearable.” He shrugged. “It's probably Stockholm Syndrome.”

“Oh, I'm sure that's it,” Luke agreed smugly, “nothing at all to do with the old Snyder charm finally getting through your grumpy facade. So, come on,” he moved on quickly, “turnabout is fair play. Tell me about some of your exes.”

Reid wanted to refuse – he'd never gossiped about exes in his life – but it was keeping Luke awake and animated, so... “Fine. But only if you lay back down.”

Luke rolled his eyes but did as he was told.

Bracing himself, Reid started by talking about Tony, who gave head like a pro – mostly because, as it turned out, he was a pro.

“You're kidding,” Luke gasped, “he was a prostitute?” He paused, apparently searching for the right term. “Hooker? Rent boy?”

Oh, for heaven's sake. “Whatever the name, yes, guys paid to have sex with him.”

“But not you.”

“Not me,” he nodded.

Luke studied him. “And that made you feel _really_ good about yourself, didn't it?”

“Absolutely.” Reid wasn't about to lie. “I wasn't thrilled when I found out what he really did for a living, but the fact that he wasn't charging me when he was charging everyone else? Yeah,” he confirmed, “made me feel a lot more confident about my skills in the sack.”

“Of course it did,” Luke muttered.

Reid generously continued, telling Luke about the others – only three more of consequence, really – and though he listened avidly, it was clear Luke was flagging, finding it harder and harder to keep his eyes open. Suddenly inspired, Reid knelt down and studied the metal supports beneath his bed. Despite their age and Reid's not-inconsiderable strength, they wouldn't separate from the floor.

“What are you doing?”

Reid tried heaving it again. Nothing. “Dunno if you noticed, but they weren't exactly tropical temperatures in here last night. Figured if we could push both beds together next to the bars, we could at least share some body heat. Need to do everything we can to stay healthy.”

“Me, you mean,” Luke corrected.

“I meant what I said,” Reid told him, giving shifting the bed another go. “There's been so sign of Frank or anyone else today, so at this point it's smart to assume that they're not coming back. We've both gone the same amount of time without food or water, so we both need to stay healthy.”

Luke said nothing to that, instead just watched Reid fruitlessly trying to move the bed. Hell, even if he managed it, how was Luke going to have the strength to move his own? He had to do something, though, couldn't keep just uselessly talking.

“We could probably get the mattresses off pretty easily,” Luke suggested, “put them on the floor.”

Sitting back, Reid just panted for a few moments. He really needed some water. “I don't like the idea of you sleeping close to the ground. It's always colder the lower down you are, heat rises-”

“Sure,” Luke said, “but it's gonna feel cold either way, and you're gonna warm me up anyway. Right?” Despite how sick he looked, Luke seemed almost hopeful, which was amazing given their currently crappy circumstances. It was clearly what he wanted, however, and at this point, it'd basically make no difference at all. Not to mention, staying close to Luke would make it a lot easier to monitor his condition. If he passed out, at least Luke would be right there instead on the other side of his cell, out of reach.

The mattresses did come off easily and though Reid had to hold back a physical shudder at all the germs he knew he was disturbing, it wasn't long until they were in place on the floor, pressed as closely together as the bars allowed.

The process had completely drained Luke of whatever energy he had, though, and he flopped down onto his mattress afterwards and looked like he'd be happy to never move again. The sun was starting to set anyway, so Reid settled onto his own mattress, looked at Luke's pale face, and told him to get some rest.

Luke just stared at him. “Thank you.”

He snorted. “I didn't do-”

“For distracting me,” Luke continued. “I can deal with the hunger, I can even deal with the pain – but God, Reid, I'm so thirsty.” Reid actually felt his heart clench. “Really wishing I'd thought to ration that water bottle right about now.”

“You made the logical assumption that they'd return – or at least set us free. Don't blame yourself.”

Luke's gaze moved to a very specific spot. “I know this sounds absolutely disgusting-”

“I already know what you're going to say, and no, we can't drink the contents of the pee bottle.”

“Why not?” he demanded. “Apart from it being completely gross. It's...liquid.”

Reid fixed him with a look. “Your kidneys filter salt, right?”

“Right.” At least he knew that much.

“But they need a certain amount of water to do that. Urine is already full of all your waste salts, so you'd need even more water to filter out that salt.”

“It'd just make things worse,” Luke said, working it out. “Kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

“Haven't heard it put in quite those terms before, but – sure. Why not?”

They both fell into silence, after that, and Reid found himself starting to drift off. Or at least he was, until Luke spoke again.

“I can't believe I was willing to drink the pee bottle. My pee. Your pee!”

“Can you stop saying pee?”

“God,” Luke glanced at him, “you must think I'm so dumb.”

“Nah, not dumb,” Reid shook his head, looking at Luke laying just a few inches away. “Just willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Mr Snyder...Luke,” he corrected, saying his name seriously, holding his gaze when he turned to look at him, “don't lose that.”

Luke stared back at him intently, but nothing else was said before they both fell asleep.

*

Reid got up again, in the middle of the night, silently trying to find a way out.

It didn't work.

*

Luke's condition had worsened considerably by the next morning. He complained of feeling constantly tired and of being alternately too hot or too cold. Reid felt utterly useless and could only lay there next to him, trying to spark Luke into a discussion or argument, the way he had before.

“Reid,” he finally said quietly, “your turn to talk. Tell me about you.”

“But I talked about my exes yesterday-”

“Your exes, yeah,” Luke rasped, and though his voice was weak his determination wasn't. “Tell me about you. Your family. Your life.”

Reid had never really talked about any of this stuff with anyone either – part of the reason none of his relationships had ever worked out, no doubt. But Luke was literally a dying man, and they both knew it. And even if by some miracle they did make it out of this, he at least had Luke's word that nothing he said would go any further.

So Reid started talking – for hours. He spoke, probably more than he ever had in his entire life. He talked about his parents, how loving but flawed they were. How Dad – like a crazy person – loved jazz, and how Mom loved cats so much that they'd had three of them. He told Luke about the Christmas Dad dropped the turkey, and the cats had their best Christmas ever. He told Luke about meeting Jamie, when he was nine, and thinking for the first time that maybe he liked boys instead of girls. He talked about how he told his Mom who just said, “Of course you do, honey,” like she'd known all along. He told Luke about playing chess and how he became some good, that it started ruining everything.

He told Luke about the accident and living with Angus, though he couldn't manage to talk about either of them in any detail. He talked about how education became the only thing he had, and how he graduated from high school, college and med school years early, how everyone had always hated him for it so he learned to hate everyone else, first.

He talked about the first time he got to see a living brain, then his first success as a surgeon. He talked about his work now – well, before Oakdale – and how he knew it was what he had always been meant to do, that the satisfaction of doing his job properly was like no other feeling in the world.

He spoke until the sun rose and started to set, until Luke couldn't keep his eyes open at all anymore, until he had nothing left to say.

Luke had listened to it all without judgement, without comment. When he realised Reid had finished, all he did, bizarrely, was crack his eyes open and reach across the few inches between them to drag his fingers along Reid's jaw.

“It's funny,” he said, “seeing you with a beard.”

At least it gave him something else to talk about – and talk about it he did, even though his voice was hoarse. “Not much of a beard yet, though definitely better than that scruffy-looking thing you're sporting – have you even hit puberty yet? My Great Uncle Nick, though, now _that_ was a beard...”

He went on, bullshitting mostly, saying anything at all that came to mind. At one point he was prattling on about the life cycle of the earthworm – a school project when he was a kid – when he felt Luke's hand creep between the bars, holding one of his own.

Surprised, he focused back on Luke's face only to see that he'd managed to get his eyes open again.

“Reid,” he said, as firmly as he was probably capable of, “we both know how this is going to end.”

Fuck. “That doesn't sound like a man who's doing whatever it takes to survive.”

“I'm...not giving up,” he breathed heavily, “just making some plans, in case.” He was right, damn him, because even if someone swooped in to their rescue right now, the chances still weren't great that Luke would make it. “Tell my family that I love them. That I didn't suffer too much.” Reid's fingers tightened around Luke's reflexively. “Tell Noah that he has nothing to feel guilty about. That I hope he'll have a wonderful life with someone new. And, Reid,” he added intently, “I don't want you to feel guilty, either-”

“Don't,” he hissed back, eyes burning, “don't you fucking dare-”

“-because none of this was your fault,” he continued, because when had Luke ever not said what was on his mind? “There was nothing else you could've done. And God, Reid, you've been amazing, I never would've made it this far without-”

“Stop it,” Reid ordered, having to sit up and turn away, “just _stop it_.”

Luke didn't even give him the grace of some silence. “I see how it is. All it took is me dying to get some other kind of reaction out of you. You are one hard cookie, Dr Oliver.”

Reid couldn't help it, laughing into his hands, tears in his eyes. “And you are one brave son of a bitch, Mr Snyder.”

“I'm glad you said that,” Luke admitted behind him, “because now I'll feel like less of a wimp for asking you to hold my hand again. I don't want to be alone if...when...”

The very idea was horrifying, but Reid couldn't let him face this alone. Couldn't let him be scared.

So he did what needed to be done. He settled back down onto his shitty mattress, facing Luke. Let Luke link their hands together. Brusquely ordered him to get some sleep.

Reid tried to stay awake all night, tried to watch over him, but in the end, exhaustion dragged him under, too.

The next morning, Luke wouldn't wake up.


	2. Chapter 2

Reid ordered Luke to wake up. Shouted at him to stop being so goddamn lazy, such an entitled rich kid. Reached through the bars to shake him, lightly slapped him on the face a few times.

Nothing produced any reaction.

His pulse was there, though it was slow and sluggish now and when Reid carefully pried open his eyelids, neither of Luke's eyes were reactive.

None of this was good news. All of this was freaking terrible news.

Despite the fact that Reid had heard nothing outside their hellish prison for days – apart from the occasional animal noise or the wind when it picked up strength – he started calling for help anyway. He shouted, yelled, even pleaded – until his voice finally gave up the ghost, unable to take the abuse anymore.

Reid started on the door to his cell, then. He knew it'd do no good, that the metal was just too strong, but he attacked it ferociously anyway. He kicked it, repeatedly, with all his might – which was not particularly impressive anymore, with having no food or water for days, but he still gave it his best shot. He started trying to barge it open, after that, but all that ended up doing was give him painful bruises along his arms and shoulders. Squeezing through the bars was still a no go, and Reid had to concede that Luke had actually been right about something.

He checked for weaknesses in the cement walls, again, but there was nothing. It was a prison, after all, and it was very much designed to keep people in.

Reid gave in, finally, back sliding down the wall as he sunk to the floor. He was going to sit there and watch Luke die, and there was nothing he could do about it. He'd follow a few days later himself, because even though he was in better condition, it wouldn't take long for the dehydration to do him in.

He looked over at Luke, and apart from the faintly-reassuring movement of his breathing, he was so utterly quiet and still. That was never the way Luke should be, Reid decided. As frustrating and annoying as he was, he far preferred the Luke who argued passionately, who demanded that his voice be heard whether Reid cared to hear it or not.

He'd made an agreement, though, even if it had been a silent one. The only thing he could possibly do now was be there for Luke when he passed, so Reid forced himself back up, walked the two steps to the mattress and sprawled out across it. Reaching for Luke's hand, he rolled towards him, hating more than ever the cold metal between them. Getting his mouth as close to Luke's ear as he possibly could, Reid started talking again. It was little more than a rasp – all he could manage, now – and he was so hungry and thirsty and _tired_ , but he pushed that all aside as he recited everything he'd ever learned about the brain.

Reid must've dozed off at some point, despite his intentions, and after a panicked few moments confirmed that Luke was still alive. He blinked his eyes as he looked around fuzzily, though, feeling as though something specific had woken him up-

Car. That was the sound of a car – maybe multiple cars – approaching.

Adrenalin flooded his system as Reid leapt to his feet, grabbing the bars tightly as he aimed his voice towards the window and yelled as loud as he could.

Only he'd fucked his voice up, and the sound he produced was as weak and pathetic as the asshole he'd once had for an uncle. Knowing he couldn't let this opportunity pass him by, Reid frantically looked around for something – anything. The tray their food had been delivered on was just within reach, so once Reid had it in his desperate hands he started dragging it back and forth across the bars, letting it slam against them over and over. He threw in a few kicks against the cell door for good measure, trying to make as big a ruckus as possible.

The cars had stopped, Reid would swear it, but he didn't let up – banging and kicking and hoping. Even if it was their kidnappers, they might have something or be able to do something that'd help Luke. It was a chance Reid was more than willing to take.

He kept at it so any would-be rescuers would know their exact location and after what was probably only a few minutes but felt like hours, the door to the room finally burst open and a group of men flooded inside. They were dressed in black and geared up with the kind of weaponry he'd only expect some kind of military organisation to be kitted out with.

Reid didn't even hesitate, letting the tray thud to the floor. “He needs a hospital,” he rasped, looking directly at the guy closest to them, “ _now_.”

Then, almost as if they'd choreographed it, the group of men parted and Damian Grimaldi stepped inside.

 _Thank God_ , Reid thought, definitely not something he'd ever expected to think about Damian, given what he'd learned about him since arriving in Oakdale.

Damian had already rushed to Luke's cell, yanking at the cell door himself when he saw how gravely ill his son was. He focused on Reid for a moment. “The key?”

“Never saw it,” Reid said matter-of-factly, “no idea where they kept it.”

Nodding at this news, Damian seemed far from defeated, instead turning towards his men. “Open it.”

One of them stepped forward, pulling something out of a zippered pocket. “Stand clear,” he ordered and when Reid realised it was a fucking _explosive_ he did just the opposite, dropping down next to Luke, reaching through the bars to protect him from the blast as much as he could.

Honestly, it was kind of anti-climactic. It was a very small, contained explosion, but it did what it needed to do – the lock was destroyed and they pulled the door open.

“He needs a hospital,” Reid repeated from where he was kneeling, watching Damian bend down next to his son, “he hasn't had his meds for days, we've had basically no food or water-”

“I have the situation in hand, Dr Oliver,” Damian told him, as most of the men left the room and a gurney and two EMTs swept inside.

Damian really wasn't kidding.

He watched, clutching the bars in a kind of daze as Luke was loaded onto the gurney and wheeled outside, Damian right behind him.

“Stand clear, Dr Oliver,” a voice said and Reid snapped back into focus, recognising that one of Damian's guys was about to blow the lock on his cell door, too.

Standing as far from the door as he could, he barely waited for the explosion to finish when he was pushing his way out of the cell – finally – quickly following in pursuit of Luke.

He paid no attention to the layout of the rest of the building, just focused on getting to the exit, and when he stepped outside had to take longer than usual to let his eyes adjust to the sun. They'd had light in their cells, absolutely, but only through that one, tiny window.

It felt...weird. Finally being outside again.

By the time he lowered his hand and could keep his eyes open without being blinded, all he saw was Damian climbing into an ambulance, Luke on the gurney next to him, and then the door closed and the ambulance was speeding away.

“Dr Oliver,” another man said, holding some kind of automatic weapon as he approached, “we've been instructed to see to your medical needs. I'm going to drive you to Memorial Hospi-”

“You're going to take me,” Reid interrupted, “to wherever the hell that ambulance is going.” He no doubt would've sounded a lot more threatening if he could speak properly, but for all he knew, Damian was having Luke whisked off to some private facility for the best possible treatment.

He was a little surprised when he discovered shortly afterwards that Luke was being taken to Memorial, but then it was probably the closest medical facility and when it came to Luke's kidney, time was key.

Reid was driven to Memorial in the back seat of a black SUV, and he probably would've said something about the cliché but right then all he could focus on was one thing. He had no idea how much time had passed but suddenly he was at Memorial, getting out of the car and striding into the hospital as determined and intent as the first day he'd ever stepped foot there.

Bob Hughes had evidently been expecting him. “Dr Oliver,” he greeted happily, something that didn't happen very often. “I'm so glad Damian was able to find the two of you. Let's get you checked out-”

Yeah, not right now. “What's Luke's blood type?”

Bob frowned. “I...sorry?”

“What is Luke's blood type?” Reid repeated. “Or do you need me to repeat it even slower? With some simple diagrams?”

“Why could you possible want to know?”

“To see if we're a match, obviously,” he rasped, because it was perfectly obvious. “I know we'd still need to do tissue typing and cross-matching afterwards, but Luke clearly needs a new kidney. I'm assuming they went through his whole family the last time and-”

“Dr Oliver,” Bob interrupted, and why the hell was he smiling? “Just from looking at you it's clear you've been through an ordeal.” Was that Bob's old-fashioned way of saying he looked like crap? “But...you can barely speak. You're clearly exhausted, severely dehydrated and malnourished. How you're even still on your feet is something of a miracle. I wouldn't dream of letting you donate anything right now – you likely wouldn't survive the procedure.”

“But Luke needs-”

“What Luke needs right now,” Bob interrupted, “is down to Dr Phillips to determine. Not you. Unless you suddenly became a kidney expert while you were...away.”

Reid snorted. “Hardly.” He eyed Bob. “Phillips, that's our kidney woman.”

“That's our kidney woman,” he agreed with an amused grin.

Reid tipped his head to one side, thinking about the little he knew about her. “She doesn't seem completely incompetent.”

“Very gracious of you, Dr Oliver,” Bob said magnanimously, as he started guiding him down the hallway, “so we're agreed Luke is in the best possible hands. What we need to do now is work on getting you healthy again...”

Reid still didn't know how the old coot had done it, but a few hours later he was in a hospital bed, resting. He'd been allowed a brief, but glorious, shower and was now in a clean pair of scrubs. At least he'd been spared the indignity of a hospital gown. They were getting fluids back into him through an IV and Reid had even had a small meal – the focus there being on 'small'. Much as Reid wanted to stuff his face with food, he knew it'd be better for his body if he eased it slowly back into the kinds of portions he used to eat.

God, but it felt good to be in a proper bed again, even if it was in a hospital.

After a knock on the door drew his attention, Margo Hughes stepped inside. “Dr Oliver,” she greeted, “I can't tell you how pleased we all are that you and Luke were found unharmed.”

Ha. “Define 'unharmed',” he shot back which, again, would've sounded a lot more impressive if he could speak above a whisper.

Conceding the point with a nod, Margo came to stand next to his bed. “I understand that it's difficult for you to speak at the moment, but-”

“I'll tell you everything I can,” he agreed, knowing where she'd been heading. It wasn't like Luke could tell them anything – he was their only source of information.

It didn't take long – he didn't know much – and Margo broke the news that they still didn't know who'd taken them, that Damian finding them at all was the result of him just refusing to give up. There was also currently no sign of either of their cell phones and wallets, and she'd already contacted their respective phone companies and banks, asking them to alert them if there was any activity. She did, however, seem to have some much happier news to break afterwards. “Well, now that we're done,” she announced with a smile, “there's someone who's been waiting to see you.”

After she opened the door and stepped out, Katie rushed inside and Reid actually found it...nice...when she hugged him, awkward though it was with him still in bed.

“Thank God you're okay,” she told him emotionally as she dumped her purse on the bed, which was probably a bit much when they'd only been living together a month. “Bet you had a rough time, huh?”

“That's putting it mildly.”

She looked pensive, worried. “Did they...do anything to-”

“Nothing like that,” he shook his head. It'd been worse. “I'll be fine in a couple of days.”

“Hmm,” she studied him for a few moments. “You know we've been roommates for a while now. And I know you say you're fine all the time when you're really not.”

She was annoyingly accurate. And Reid really was still utterly drained, exhausted, and Katie was one of the few people in this town he liked, pretty much the only person he ever thought he could talk to. She'd already told him stuff about Brad she'd never told anyone, and though Reid had yet to share anything in kind, after everything he'd been through, now was the time to do it. “I'm a doctor. And I watched him dying right next to me. By inches.” In his mind he saw Luke again, unconscious and unmoving on the floor. “Knowing there was nothing I could do to stop it.”

Pressing her lips together, blinking heavily, Katie nodded. “I can't imagine what that must've been like, Reid.”

“No. You can't.” It ranked right up there in the worst experiences of his life. “So that's all I'm giving you right now. Don't ask me to keep talking about it.”

Actually listening to him for a change, Katie evidently was now trying to cheer him up. “Jacob missed you,” she encouraged, “he just doesn't like the way I sing the elephant song the same way.”

“That's because he has ears,” Reid remarked. She was remarkably tone-deaf.

“What else did you miss?” she asked herself. “Oh, Henry thought you and Luke had run away together, can you imagine?”

Hank thought what now? “That man really is the most ridiculous being I have ever had the displeasure of knowing.”

“Oh come on,” she teased, still trying to distract him, “you can see where Henry was coming from. You and Luke are both attractive, you're both gay-”

“So, clearly, we must be sleeping together.”

“And the two of you are butting heads all the time, always arguing. Henry thought it was one of those passionate enemies to lovers things.”

Reid just shook his head. “There was nothing romantic about it at all,” he snapped, irritated. “Taking a leak in a bottle wasn't romantic. Having to take a dump in the corner of the room wasn't romantic. And watching Luke slowly wither away sure as _hell_ wasn't romantic.”

Realising she'd made a mistake, she backed away. “I should go,” she announced, which was probably a smart move. Reid was still exhausted and was finding it...trying, keeping his emotions in check. “You need to rest – your voice, too. I shouldn't keep you talking.”

But damn if Reid didn't feel bad about it. “Blondie, you know by now that I never do anything I don't want to do.”

Hoisting her handbag further up her shoulder, she smiled at him tightly. “Anything you need to me do?”

There was, actually.

Finally listening to his body, Reid got some sleep – at least until Katie returned, although he had his suspicions that she'd deliberately taken a long time when he'd made it clear that was his plan.

It was late evening when she dropped off his stuff, but Reid was too happy to have the comforts from home to complain for once. He had a toothbrush – _his_ toothbrush – and for the first time in days he had clean teeth. Not something he'd ever expected to miss as much as he had.

She'd brought his razor, too – his electric one. He stood looking at himself in the bathroom mirror, for a while – he really did look like crap – and then set about shaving off his beard. Possibly the only plus side of being kidnapped had been not having to shave for a few days, but he'd never been a fan of beards and the thing just needed to come off.

Realising what he'd thought, he shook his head at himself. Like there'd actually been any plus side whatsoever to being kidnapped.

Because he'd actually been kidnapped. Knocked out, taken against his will, forcefully imprisoned. How the hell did anyone deal with that? How the hell did Luke _keep_ dealing with that?

Thankfully hearing a knock on the door, Reid wheeled his IV stand out with him from the bathroom, grateful to get away from his thoughts. He'd only met the man who pushed open the door now once before, but he absolutely remembered him – Luke's dad.

“Mr Snyder,” he rasped.

“Dr Oliver,” he said and frankly he didn't look much better than Reid did – he had bags under his eyes and his own case of stubble. “Should you be out of bed?”

“I'm not that weak,” he pointed out, though his voice made him sound otherwise. “Anyway,” he said, as he carefully got back into bed – his legs felt shakier than he would've liked, “I would've thought Luke would be your only concern right now.”

“Definitely worried about him,” Holden agreed, “but there's nothing I can do other than sit there and wait. I feel so useless, you know?”

He certainly did. “Yeah,” he muttered, “I've been there.”

“Anyway,” Holden continued, “I won't keep you long – don't want to keep you talking, either. Just wanted to make sure you were okay, too.”

Reid frowned. “Why? As far as I'm aware, there's no one in your family who likes me very much.”

“You only have yourself to blame if that's true,” he reminded, which was honestly the truth. “But you went through this experience, too. Seeing how you're doing is just the right thing to do.”

Okay. Reid could definitely see where Luke had gotten some of his personality from, genetics be damned – but he was also beginning to think there was another reason for Holden's visit. “Just need a few more hours of beauty sleep, eat a few burgers. I'll be fine.”

“If you say so,” he replied, seeming to hesitate over something, before eventually saying, “I should go.”

He should, but Reid figured there was something he needed to hear, first. “They didn't hurt us,” Reid told him, making Holden's gaze zero in on his, “we weren't even really threatened. We weren't beaten, injured or abused – aside from being left to starve to death.” He looked at Holden wryly. “It could've been a lot worse. As far as kidnappers go, they were downright polite.”

It was what Holden had been looking for, apparently. But then he said, “Was it dark?”

Reid couldn't understand why he'd ask such a specific question. “Dark?”

“The first time he – we – were kidnapped,” Holden explained, “Luke was just a kid. We were kept in a cave, mostly, and he was terrified of the dark for years afterwards.”

Luke had never mentioned anything about that. “No, it was...well, it wasn't bright, but there was more than enough light to see. The only time it ever really got dark was at night.”

“Okay,” Holden nodded to himself, seeming satisfied, before focusing back on Reid. “Thank you, Dr Oliver.” Apparently having what he came for all along, he turned back towards the door – but Reid couldn't let that happen. He had to know...

“How is he?” When Holden turned back to look at him, Reid kept talking. At the very least he knew Luke had to be alive, or Holden wouldn't be there at all. “Bob Hughes won't tell me anything because I'm not family and I'm also not Luke's doctor – but as far as I'm concerned I was his doctor for these past few days and I'd be failing in my duty as a physician if I didn't keep an eye on his progress.”

The corners of Holden's mouth may have quirked up, a little, but he did as Reid asked. “It's not great,” he said honestly, “but Dr Phillips says it could be worse. He's being pumped full of some heavy-duty immunosuppressants and he's on dialysis at the moment – she's trying to save the kidney. She thinks attempting a transplant right now would probably kill him.” She was probably right. “He's shown no sign of waking up yet, either.”

“I see,” Reid nodded, knowing that was just about the best news he could've hoped for. “I'd appreciate being kept informed.”

Holden seemed to agree. “Dr Oliver – Reid?” he asked. Reid nodded. “When you're back on your feet – don't be a stranger, okay? Whatever the two of you went through together...I think Luke would want you there. And that way you can keep an eye on his progress yourself.” It looked like the corners of his mouth were turning up again.

Reid knew he'd absolutely be taking him up on that offer. “That's...generous of you.” Especially given that he'd done nothing to endear himself to anyone in the Snyder family.

“As far as I'm concerned,” Holden replied, “the more doctors I have looking out for my boy, the better. Besides, you watched over him while he was in that place,” he said seriously, and how did he even know that? “I see no reason why you shouldn't watch over him now.”

*

Unsurprisingly, Reid slept like a log that night, barely even stirring when the nurses came in at odd hours to check his pulse and blood pressure, change his IV. He was vaguely aware of it, each time it happened, but fell straight back to sleep again afterwards.

He was surprised when he finally got up to take a leak and realised it was after noon. Freshening up, he found he felt a hell of a lot better than even the day before and, though it was late, he wanted to tackle some breakfast, this time. After that, he'd try and find out if there'd been an update on Luke's condition.

Unfortunately for Reid, he'd just wheeled his IV out of the room when Bob spotted him.

“Dr Oliver,” he began sternly, “what do you think you're doing?”

“Dr Hughes,” he replied, voice maybe not quite as terrible as yesterday, “I am exercising my right to take the elevator to the staff cafeteria to see if there's anything there that passes as food today. Hasn't happened yet, admittedly, but one lives in hope.”

“I think not, doctor,” Bob told him. “You're going to go back into your room and lie down.”

“Did you just try and send me to my room?” Unbelievable. “Though you're plainly old enough, you're most certainly not my father-”

“Then perhaps you should stop acting like a child, and follow your doctor's advice.”

He let out a frustrated breath. “Dr Hughes,” he paused, trying a different tack, “Bob. I understand that our professional relationship did not have the most auspicious of beginnings.”

“You mean how you hit my wife with a car that you'd just stolen? And then tried to flee the scene of the accident?”

“It always sounds so bad when you say it,” Reid complained. “But, the truth is, we have some history. And I think it's unprofessional of you to grind whatever axe you have against me now.”

“I am doing no such thing,” Bob insisted, sounding offended. “If anything I'm being extremely professional in insisting on your treatment despite our history. I'm trying to do what's in your own best interests.”

Ah ha. “Just as I'm trying to do what's in your best interests,” he pointed out, explaining further when Bob looked confused. “Bob, you know the kind of man I am. Do you really want to put up with me? For days? As a patient? When you know I'm going to do everything I can to make your life miserable?” 

Bob finally seemed to be realising what Reid was saying, as his expression flattened out. “I still think someone should keep an eye on you.”

Fair enough. “Look, I'm feeling much better today already. I've been on saline, nutrients and electrolytes all night, I'm steady on my feet. If you discharge me, not only will I promise to stay at the hospital, I'll even let you keep an eye on me.”

Thinking it over for a while, Bob eventually conceded. “Very well, Reid, I suppose that will have to suffice. But I have to point out that you're still not fit for work.” He looked at him curiously. “Why would you possibly want to stay at the hospital?”

*

When Reid reached Luke's room, finally free of his own IV, one of Damian's goons was standing outside. He seemed to know who Reid was, however, and didn't try to stop him when he opened the door and stepped inside.

Entering the room, he vaguely noticed that Luke's mom and Damian were there.

Mostly, though, all he could see was Luke.

He didn't look much better than the last time Reid had seen him – but Reid knew it was good news that he was still breathing on his own. Hell, that he was alive at all.

Luke wasn't on dialysis at the moment – they probably wheeled him to Renal Services for that – and all he was currently hooked up to was the IV, nasal cannula and catheter.

“Dr Oliver,” Lily greeted, eventually.

Realising he should probably explain himself, he glanced over at them. “Mr Snyder said-”

“He told us,” Damian interrupted, eyeing Reid intently. “How are you recovering, Doctor?”

“Much better than he is,” he replied, stepping to the other side of Luke's bed, attention returning to him. “Has there been any change?”

Lily looked down at Luke emotionally. “Dr Phillips says he's stopped deteriorating, at least. She thinks the immunosuppressants have started to work and the dialysis has taken pressure off his kidney.” Good. Good. Maybe his kidney would even get the time it needed to recuperate.

There was more silence as Reid just focused on the rise and fall of Luke's chest.

Lily spoke again. “Doctor, if you don't mind my asking...what happened to your voice? Holden said that you told him neither of you had been hurt, but-”

“My voice was my own doing,” he assured her, shaking his head. “Always been a chatterbox – just couldn't help myself when I had a captive audience.”

She didn't look convinced. She didn't appear to appreciate his choice of words, either.

Damian, instead, stepped around the bed and approached him. “I feel I need to thank you, Dr Oliver.”

Reid frowned down at the hand Damian held out, not understanding. “If anything I should be thanking you – if you hadn't found us when you did...”

The hand didn't waver. “I saw how you were with Luke when we got there, how protective you were.” He held Reid's gaze. “Something tells me that wasn't all you did for him.”

Something in that compelled Reid to talk. “I couldn't do anything...useful. All I could do was talk.”

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Damian made a point to reach out further and take Reid's hand, bringing his other hand into the mix until it was a two-handed shake. “Men of great conscience cannot deny anything, even to those they claim to hate.”

Who the hell even spoke like that? “O-kay...”

Nodding with satisfaction, Damian released his hand, then walked the few steps to the door. Pulling it open, he spoke to his man. “Marco, let's get another chair in here for Dr Oliver.”

Reid still wasn't sure what that whole interaction had been about, but he wasn't about to say no to his own chair.

It was little crowded, perhaps, and they were definitely violating the hospital's 'no more than two visitors at a time' policy, but something told Reid that was rarely reinforced anyway.

“So,” Reid said when he was sitting down, because he was honestly surprised that Holden wasn't there, “Luke's dad isn't here? Adopted dad,” he added, when Damian glanced at him

“I finally managed to convince Holden to go home and shower,” Lily told him, “get a few hours of sleep.” Now that he focused on her, he could see Lily wasn't looking her usual glamorous self, either. Even Damian's face looked drawn.

It was a strange family dynamic, no doubt about it. “Two dads,” Reid remarked. “The three of you get on?”

Lily and Damian shared a look, before Damian spoke. “Not particularly. Holden and I will certainly never be friends. But one thing we all share is how much we love Luke.”

Made sense, Reid thought, but mostly he was trying to figure out why Damian was staring at him in a particularly creepy way.

Luckily the staring was interrupted when the door swung open.

Not so luckily, the interruption was Noah.

Following the hell he and Luke had gone through together - and the way he'd seen Noah talk to Luke even before they'd been taken - Reid now had a...unique perspective of Noah Mayer. It wasn't a positive one.

“Hello?” Noah asked, holding his cane out in front of him.

“Noah,” Lily greeted, crossing the room to pull him into a hug – which he must have been expecting as he didn't seem surprised. “Thank you for coming to visit again.”

“I was hoping I'd got the right room,” he joked with a smile. “But I'm actually checking if Dr Oliver's here,” he added, to Lily's obvious surprise. “Bob said-”

Best just to get this over with. Reid stood up. “I'm here, Mr Mayer.”

“Wow,” Noah asked as he turned towards him, “what happened to your voice?”

“It's been a trying few days, Mr Mayer, did you need something?”

“Well it's about that, I guess,” Noah admitted. “I wanted to see how you were doing. If you were okay.”

Lily smiled at him proudly, addressing Reid. “Noah was very concerned about you when you were missing, too. It was very thoughtful of him.”

Annoyingly, she was right – even if he didn't appreciate the way she said it. Things would be so much easier if he could just hate Noah on principle, but it wasn't so easy when the guy was being all nice and stuff.

Luckily for Reid, Noah soon dumped himself in it.

“I'm fine,” Reid assured him, “right as rain.”

“Glad to hear it,” Noah said with a smile. “I was worried, for a while, that you wouldn't be able to perform the surgery.”

Reid literally could've heard a pin drop.

Lily looked seriously taken aback, her face transforming through a series of expressions. “Wait, is _that_ why...” She shook her head. “Noah, I know your sight's important to you, but I hardly think now is the time to be worrying-”

He and Lily actually seemed to be agreeing on something, but Reid had this. “It's okay, Ms Walsh,” he began calmly, moving closer to Noah, “I'm more than aware that Mr Mayer's priority has always been his eyesight.”

Noah, finally, seemed to realise exactly what he'd said. “I, uh, really didn't mean that how it came out.”

“It's fine,” Reid pressed on. “Rest assured, Mr Mayer, when your drug therapy has reached the stage where I feel you're ready, I will be performing your procedure just as brilliantly as I always intended to.”

“Okay,” Noah said, looking guilty. “Uh, thanks? I should go-”

Reid was on a roll now, because he'd sure as hell noticed there was a very specific thing Noah hadn't asked even once since arriving. “Did you maybe, want to...I don't know,” he crossed his arms, “see how Luke was doing?”

“Luke?” he asked in surprise. “Not Mr Snyder?”

That was the important thing right now? “We were trapped together for days, Mr Mayer, I think it would've been more unusual if we hadn't started using first names.”

“Oh,” he said, apparently his way of conceding that Reid had a point, then finally answered the question. “Oh, well, I figured if there'd been any change in Luke's condition that one of you would've said something.”

Reid wasn't impressed because even if they had been having 'problems', how could he not be at Luke's side every single second? “Well I certainly can't fault your logic.”

Damian who, until then, had remained suspiciously silent, finally moved out of his chair until he was grabbing Noah by the shoulders, guiding him out of the room. “Noah,” he said meaningfully, “let's talk.”

Reid watched them go, grateful not to be Noah right then. For so many reasons, actually, but mostly because whatever Damian was about to say would likely be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

“I'm...shocked,” Lily began, causing Reid to face her. “I didn't know Noah could be so thoughtless.”

He shrugged, moving back to his seat. “Maybe there's a reason they keep breaking up.”

Frowning, she sat in her own chair and looked across at him. “You know about that?”

“Like I said,” he pointed out, “Luke and I were trapped together for days – we had to kill time somehow. He shared a few details.”

Nodding slowly, Lily still seemed confused at the idea. Eventually, however, she looked at him gratefully. “I'm glad you were there for him, Dr Oliver. Even if it was just someone for him to talk to, someone to listen. Sometimes, that's the thing we need most of all.”

Reid honestly didn't know what to say to any of that, so he said nothing at all.

*

Damian left a few hours later, Holden returning to take his place and looking a little more human. There was some limited conversation, but mostly they all just sat there staring at Luke, waiting for something, any sign that he'd come out of this.

It was exhausting and, at some point, Reid nodded off in his chair.

It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, so he didn't rest particularly well and was mostly aware when he heard Lily start to talk.

“It's still so strange to me.”

“What is?” Holden asked.

“Doctor Oliver being here,” she explained. “You don't find it strange at all? He hasn't left Luke's side all day. They used to clash so often – the amount of times Luke would come home and complain about him.” Ha, so he'd even taken his frustration at Reid home with him. Good to know. “But now it's like he can't bear to be apart.” Okay, that was taking a things a bit far.

“Whatever happened in that room must've changed things,” Holden said. “Going through an experience like that together...I don't know. We may never know what it was really like.” Reid could hear him moving around. “We can all be affected by something we've gone through. Look at us – we haven't exactly been getting on for a while now, yet here we both are, sitting side by side because of our kid.”

“I suppose it's times like these that remind us what really matters,” she agreed. A few moments later she asked, “You think it's survivor's guilt?”

“Could be,” Holden said. “Could just be that, underneath it all, Reid Oliver's a good man with a good heart.”

Now that really was ridiculous.

Reid was no idiot – he'd already considered the survivor's guilt thing himself and decided it was probably true. He and Luke had been trapped in extraordinary circumstances together. And, like he'd said to Katie, he was a doctor, watching someone he knew slowly getting sicker and sicker, and there'd been nothing he could do to help.

It made perfect sense. And as soon as Luke was healthy again, Reid was certain things would go back to the way they'd always been.

Phillips came in again, then, which Reid used as his excuse to 'wake up'. She'd largely been ignoring his presence whenever she appeared – she didn't seem particularly fond of him, a common occurrence. She'd also told him nothing as he wasn't family, but when Holden asked for an update, he made a point of letting Phillips know that Reid had permission to be kept in the loop.

Honestly, Luke's dad might have been Reid's favourite person right then.

Nodding in acknowledgement, she gave them the latest. “I still think it's too early to make the call about a transplant, yet. His body's been through a lot and I want to give the kidney some time – keep cutting it some slack with the dialysis – and see what happens. Some of his numbers are already improving so...I'm hopeful.”

Good. Good. That was really good.

“What about the coma?” Lily asked.

“Well as his body chemistry evens out, I'm betting he'll start coming out of it himself. As Dr Oliver knows,” she said, finally acknowledging him with a nod, “Luke's coma wasn't caused by a traumatic brain injury or stroke. Those comas tend to be much more long term and much harder to come out of. Luke's a fighter,” she told them confidently, “it's a miracle that he's made it this far, and I'm sure it's only happened because of his own determination. He won't give up and neither should you.”

*

The next morning, when Luke was wheeled away for dialysis, Reid took the opportunity to catch some hard z's in the on-call room. He woke, hours later, feeling much more refreshed, and when he sat up he saw a sandwich and a bottle of water waiting for him on a nearby table. A post-it note on the bottle read,

_You know what to do with these, Dr Oliver. I will be checking._

“Bob,” he muttered, shaking his head, but reached for the food anyway. After taking the sandwich out of its packaging and having his first bite, though, Reid found he couldn't swallow it. It just seemed to get stuck in his throat and it didn't matter how much he chewed, how much water he tried to drink it down with, his throat just kept closing up.

Fantastic.

Spitting the contents of his mouth into the trash, the rest of the sandwich followed soon after and he stomped out of the room. If this whole ridiculous kidnapping thing had ruined sandwiches for him for the rest of his life, he was going to be really fucking pissed.

After a shower, shave and toothbrushing, Reid returned to Luke's room in a fresh pair of scrubs. Luke was back, still breathing, but this time even though one of Damian's guys was still standing guard, there was no sign of Damian himself. Instead, there were two women inside who Reid absolutely didn't recognise.

“Uh, hi,” he said, “Reid Oliver.”

“Oh, Holden told me all about you,” the dark-haired one said with a smile, standing and holding out a hand. “Emma Snyder. Holden's mother.”

“And Luke's Grandma,” he observed, taking her hand when she offered it – though it rapidly changed into something else as she stepped closer, releasing his hand to instead grab both of his forearms and look him in the eye.

It was somehow freaky and reassuring all at once.

“And how are you coping?” she asked, warm and intent at the same time.

Somehow it demanded nothing less than pure honesty. “Not great,” he found himself saying, “but things'll be a lot better when Luke wakes up.”

“True of us all,” she said kindly. “I'm sorry for what you went through.”

“Thanks,” he said, because he couldn't even brush it off for once.

Thankfully, the other woman intruded. “Lucinda Walsh,” she introduced, which was at least a name he'd heard before – the other Grandma. “Unlike Emma,” she continued as they shook hands, “I heard about you straight from the source.”

Interesting. “Yes, I already heard from your daughter that Luke liked to complain about me – I have that effect on a lot of people.”

“Is that what that was?” she asked with a knowing smile. “Funny how time changes things.”

“How's he doing?” Reid moved on, grateful to get away from her as he stepped towards what he was starting to think of as his chair.

“The dialysis went well,” Lucinda told him, “though he's simply refusing to wake up. I keep telling him I'll rename the Luke Snyder Foundation after myself but, well, you know how stubborn Luke can be.”

“That I do.” He'd come right up against Luke's stubbornness plenty of times.

“Well, in the meantime,” Emma announced, reaching down for something and coming back up with a plastic tub, “I brought some food, and I thought we could all pass some time by eating. I know they do the best they can, but hospital food isn't very appetising.”

Emma Snyder was straight up manna from heaven.

“Of course you did, dear,” Lucinda remarked with a long-suffering sigh. “Heaven forbid there's ever a major incident that you don't provide hors d'œuvres for.”

“I stress bake, Lucinda, you know that,” she said charmingly. “I can't help Luke, so I do this instead. Here, Doctor Oliver,” she offered, holding an open tub over Luke's bed.

He snatched it eagerly, quickly surveying the contents. There were no sandwiches, thank God, but there were cookies and home-made pastries. His stomach rumbled. “These look delicious,” he said honestly, pulling one of the cookies out.

“Those are Luke's favourites,” Emma admitted, like it was some great secret. “Do you think it would be silly if I..?” She gestured towards Luke, and Reid realised what she was suggesting – what she wanted to do.

“Not at all. Hearing a loved one's voice, favourite music, or even smelling particular scents have all helped people wake from comas. Here,” he said, passing the cookie back over, because it was always worth a try.

Taking it from him, she leant over Luke and waved the cookie under his nose. “I feel a little ridiculous,” she admitted.

“You look it, too,” Lucinda pointed out, standing herself, “but if we're doing this, we might as well commit. Doctor?” she asked, holding out a hand so Reid shrugged and passed her her own cookie.

He started eating the third cookie. It was really good.

It was not how he'd expected to spend his day, Reid could admit, stuffing his face with a cookie as two Grandmothers waved baked goods under Luke's nose.

It might have been actually working, though.

“Did I...?” Emma asked, before gasping. “I saw his nostril flare. Did you-?”

“Yes, I saw it too,” Lucinda confirmed.

“It's actually working?” Reid asked around a mouthful, standing to look down at him. As he watched, he saw Luke's nostril move again himself. “This could be a sign he's coming out of the coma,” he announced, excited, placing the tub aside. “What's his favourite music?”

Lucinda thought about it for a moment, before it came to her. “He always liked...the boys. With the hair.”

Reid looked at her. “ _Really?_ ”

“I don't know their name,” she conceded, throwing her hands up.

“Never mind,” he said, abandoning that idea for now, “just keep talking to him – not all at once. But let him hear your voices.”

They took Reid's instructions to the letter, taking turns calmly talking to him, letting him know they were there, that they loved him, and that it was safe for him to wake up now. Reid's heart starting pounding when the fingers on Luke's right hand twitched.

“It's working,” he encouraged, licking his lips, “keep going.”

They re-doubled their efforts, Emma talking about all the food she was going to cook him when he woke up, Lucinda promising they'd go for a milkshake at Al's and she wouldn't even wear sunglasses to disguise herself this time.

Slowly, eventually, Luke's eyes inched open.

“Sweetheart!” Emma said happily.

“We're here, darling,” Lucinda said warmly.

Frowning, Luke slowly turned his head from Emma, to Lucinda, to Reid. He managed what looked like a small, insignificant smile.

And then his head rolled back to one side and his eyes slid shut.

Reid was thrilled.

Luke's grandmother's, however, were anything but.

“What-” Lucinda said.

“But-” Emma complained.

“This is good,” Reid promised. “He's definitely coming out of the coma.”

“But he closed his eyes again,” Emma said, worried. “Why did he close his eyes again?”

“Coming out of a coma isn't like it is on TV,” he explained, “it can take hours, days – even weeks. Although, given his progress already,” he conceded, “I don't think we'll have to wait that long.” The three of them shared a hopeful look. “You should tell his parents.”

“Right!” Lucinda said, straightening up. Grabbing her phone from the side, she hurried out of the room.

Reid really didn't want to leave Luke right now, but knew that he should. “I'll get Dr Phillips.” He was on his way out the door when Emma called after him.

“Dr Oliver?”

He spun to look at her, bracing the door open. “Hmm?”

“Thank you,” she said sincerely, “for everything.”

Nah, this had nothing to do with him. “This was all Luke,” he told her.

Phillips was right. Luke was one hell of a fighter.

*

As soon as they heard the news, Lily and Holden rushed back to the hospital. They arrived separately but within minutes of each other. Reid and Dr Phillips had to explain the situation twice, in quick succession, which was annoying if understandable. Phillips had to keep promising that this was good news, that Luke would likely be waking up for real, soon.

Emma and Lucinda were still there, so the room felt way too cramped already. Matters weren't helped when Damian suddenly stormed into the room, furious.

“He woke and none of you thought to contact me?”

Though the others looked at each other guiltily – even Holden – Lucinda apparently had no qualms about the matter. “Damian,” she said bluntly, “it never even crossed my mind.”

“Of course it didn't,” he replied, looking away for a moment with a smirk. “I know you've never liked me, Lucinda – I can't even blame you for it. But if it wasn't for me Luke may never have been found at all.”

“Yes,” she said, drawing herself up to her full height, “so you keep reminding us.”

Damian narrowed his eyes. “Do you have any idea the amount of money and resources I spent trying to find my son? Not that I begrudge it for Luke, not even for a second, but you are not the only one who loves him, Lucinda.”

“You think I didn't spend the same amount of the money? Expend the same amount of resources? It was luck more than anything else that you got there first-”

Reid had heard more than enough. This should've been a happy moment but he was feeling cranky, and claustrophobic, and after this ridiculous arguing he had just had enough. “Will the two of you get over yourselves already?”

Lucinda turned to him, aghast.

Damian looked ready to kill, which – well. Might have been an actual possibility.

Reid spoke again anyway, before either of them could respond with whatever withering remark or vague threat they were no doubt thinking up. “We've already determined that Luke is aware of what's going on around him. You think listening to any of this is going to make him want to wake up any sooner?”

Seeming to realise he was right – of course he was – they blinked and glanced at each other.

“Right now Luke needs a calm, reassuring environment,” Reid continued, “not two relatives getting into a pissing match, trying to prove who loves him best. If you can't give him what he needs – if none of you can give him what he needs,” he looked around the room, at everyone staring back at him, “then get the hell out. Too damn crowded in here anyway,” he muttered, leaving the room himself.

Katie found him pacing in the hallway a few minutes later.

“Hey,” she greeted with a smile, though it soon changed into a frown. “Are you okay?”

He'd calmed down, a little, being out of that room. “Just Luke's family being...Luke's family. I don't know how he puts up with them.”

“It's all he's ever known,” she offered, then added, “when Brad and I got together, I did find the Snyder's a little suffocating, sometimes.”

“The Snyder's aren't even the problem,” he told her, “or at least, not right now.” When she looked at him, Reid explained. “Damian and Lucinda.”

“Ah,” Katie said. “Yeah. Those two have been butting heads for, well, Luke's twenty-one now. So at least that many years.”

“Well that's just swell,” he ground out. A twenty year grudge wasn't going to go away overnight, if at all. Even Reid didn't hold grudges for that long.

In most situations.

“I can't stay for long,” she told him, “just wanted to pop over during a break and see how you were doing. You need anything?”

“A new family for Luke?” he asked hopefully.

She wrinkled up her nose. “That's one you're gonna have to work out all by yourself,” she said, patting him on the arm.

“Dr Oliver?” a voice called, and he turned towards Luke's room to see Dr Phillips standing in the doorway.

“I need to go,” he told Katie.

She patted him on the arm once more in farewell. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Can't,” he said as he started walking backwards towards Phillips. “No phone anymore.”

She held up a finger. “That's something I can work out for you.” Nodding decisively, she turned and strode away.

When Reid reached Luke's room, he could see through the open door that everyone had cleared out except for Lily and Holden. His mood immediately improved.

“I backed you up,” Phillips told him, “told them all to clear out, because frankly it was what I should've said earlier. But they wanted to speak to you, first.” Eyeing Luke's parents, Reid was about to step inside when she spoke again. “Dr Oliver, for the record, as far as I'm concerned you're welcome in Luke's room at anytime.”

He stared at her, surprised at the turn of events. “You actually like me now?”

“Like's a very strong word,” she began cautiously, though she was smiling when she said it. “More like...appreciate.”

“I can work with that,” Reid shrugged, then stepped inside.

Luke was still breathing.

Lily and Holden were conferring quietly and when they spied Reid they looked at each other, then Lily stepped towards him. “Dr Oliver.”

“Ms Snyder.”

“Holden and I discussed things,” she gestured behind herself, “and we both agree that you were right. About what you said a few minutes ago.”

He...had not been expecting that. “Really?”

“We all love Luke so much,” she told him, “but we all have a lot of history together, too. Sometimes that gets in the way, even when it shouldn't. But you're an outsider,” she pointed out, “and though you obviously care about what happens to Luke – which is still a surprise, I admit – you don't have all that history following you around. You can just focus on what he really needs and we...appreciate that.”

Wow. Reid honestly thought it would've taken a hell of a lot more time for Luke's mom to see just how awesome he was. “What Luke needs is the only thing that matters.”

“We couldn't agree more,” Holden said, “and, trust me – we're going to take great pains to make sure the rest of the family understands that.”

“Well,” he nodded, “good.” Returning to his seat and feeling much more mellow now that there was a manageable amount of people in the room, he looked across at where they were still standing. “Are you two gonna sit down, or are you waiting for an engraved invitation?”

*

There were no further signs of Luke waking up that evening or overnight, despite Lily and Holden's best efforts. Reid slept in the on-call room again, leaving Emma's tub of food next to him so Bob could see he'd been eating. There was no obnoxious note the next morning (there was, actually, but it was just a smiley face and as he couldn't imagine Bob ever drawing such a thing, he decided he must've imagined the entire thing). There were a couple of pieces of fruit.

Reid ate them, just to make sure Bob left him alone.

After his now-usual morning routine, he returned to Luke's room to find that Luke was still alive. Holden was sitting by his side, reading a book aloud. They nodded at each other but Reid didn't interrupt, just took his seat and watched Luke for signs of waking up.

Holden kept reading. It turned out to be one of those fantasy books about wizards and dragons, though it was one Reid had never heard of. He theorised it must've been a book Luke enjoyed if Holden was bothering to read it to him, though, so maybe that would help him wake up, too.

Lily joined them a few minutes later but she, too, said nothing, not wanting to interrupt, instead just giving an awkward wave as she sat next to her husband. Ex-husband. Whatever the hell they were.

Holden's voice was surprisingly hypnotic, Reid found, and he read with a lot more oomph than he would've expected. Nonetheless, just sitting there listening to someone read was not the most fascinating thing in the world, and after a while Reid had to struggle to keep his eyes open.

Thankfully, a soft knock on the door interrupted.

When no one entered, they all looked at each other, and then Lily said, “Come in.”

Bob Hughes' grandson peered around the door. They'd been introduced, once, but Reid honestly hadn't been paying attention – he'd been too busy complaining about the state of the cafeteria food at the time – but he looked about Luke's age and Reid knew he'd seen them around town together. They were probably friends.

“Casey,” Lily and Holden greeted together happily, so at least Reid now knew his name.

“Hi, Ms Walsh, Hi, Mr S,” he replied, stepping into the room. He paused when he saw Reid, face flattening out. “Dr Oliver.”

Apparently his recollection of their meeting was much more vivid than Reid's.

“It's so nice of you to come and visit,” Lily said gratefully.

“I would've come sooner,” Casey explained, “but I didn't want to get in the way. I got the impression things were...serious.” He focused on Luke's still form. Shaking his head, he smiled at Luke's parents. “Grandpop wouldn't give me any details, of course, but he did say yesterday that things were looking better, so I thought maybe...”

“Of course,” Holden replied, “we'll tell you all about what's been going on. But first,” walking towards Casey, he placed a hand on his shoulder, “I don't think we ever thanked you for helping with the search.”

“Nah, that's okay,” Casey shrugged it off. “You don't need to do that – Luke's my bro, you know? And the bro code definitely states that in the event of a kidnapping you drop everything you're doing and help out. I just wish it'd ended up doing any good...”

“It did,” Reid told him, much to Casey's evident surprise. “Yeah, you weren't the one who found him, but you helped clear locations, narrow down possibilities, prove where Luke wasn't. Any one of those helped with Damian being able to find him that much faster. Just because you didn't find him doesn't mean you didn't contribute.”

“Uh, thanks,” Casey said, looking significantly freaked out. “Were you just nice to me?”

As if. “Accomplishment should be celebrated,” was all Reid said, before he focused back on Luke.

Casey visited for a while, getting the news from Lily and Holden. Eventually the three of them started catching up on the rest of their lives, talking about people and places Reid had never heard of. Reid tuned most of it out – but tuned the hell back in when Casey started talking about old times.

“Man,” Casey said in an amused, if surprised, voice, “Luke never told you that we were boyfriends when that was all going down?”

It took Reid a few moments to process that, because he was damn sure Luke had only ever dated Noah. “You and Luke dated?”

“Not for real,” Casey grinned. “It was when Noah and Ameera got married.”

Like Reid had any clue who Ameera- _what?_ “Noah got married?”

“That wasn't for real, either,” he explained. “She needed a green card, and because of the connection she had to his dad, Noah felt like he had to help out.”

Okay, clearly the staff at Memorial had been gossiping about all the wrong things, because he hadn't even heard a whisper about that. “But the marriage was actually legal?”

“Technically, yes?” Casey shrugged, making a face.

Lily nodded, remembering fondly. “It was a lovely day – we had a wonderful wedding at the farm. Ameera looked so beautiful.”

What the hell was wrong with these people? He'd started to think that Lily and Holden were relatively normal compared with the rest of Oakdale, but he'd clearly been wrong. “And how did Luke look? You know, that the – very gay – man he was in love with was marrying a woman?”

“He wasn't happy about it,” Holden admitted, which was the very least he could do, “but he insisted on supporting Noah – so we supported his decision, too.”

“Supporting Noah, right,” Reid murmured, “like the same support Noah gave back to him when Luke's new grandfather was hitting on him? And Noah refused to believe it?”

Lily looked truly shocked. “You know about...” She paused, taking in everything he'd said. “Noah wouldn't believe him? I can't believe Luke never told me that.”

“That does sound kind of dickish,” Casey admitted “ _if_ it's true. Why do you care anyway?” he asked curiously. “Last I heard, you couldn't stand Luke. And he never stopped complaining about you, either.”

“We spent a long time in those cells together, Mr Hughes,” Reid told him, “do you think we would've survived as long as we did if we'd stayed at each other's throats?”

“So, what?” Casey questioned. “You and Luke are buds now?”

“Something like that.” Reid honestly wasn't sure what they were. “I understand it may not be as 'buddy buddy' as your relationship with him, but it's no less valid. And you never did explain,” he added because, despite himself, he still wanted to know, “how you and Luke started 'dating'.”

Casey looked like he didn't want to tell the story now, after that interaction, but eventually gave in. “ICE kept digging around,” he explained, “convinced the marriage wasn't real.”

“Gee, I wonder why.”

Casey pointedly ignored him. “So, to sell the story that Luke was just a friend, we pretended to be dating.” Pausing, he grinned. “And I have to say,” he announced proudly, “I was the best damn boyfriend Luke ever had.”

The hell of it was, he probably wasn't even wrong. Before Reid could say anything, however, a quiet, rough voice said something else,

“You sucked as a boyfriend.”

It took all of them far longer than it should have to piece together who'd just spoken – even Reid.

In a matter of moments, they were all surrounding Luke's bed. Lily, Holden and Casey all kept talking over each other in excitement, welcoming Luke back, saying how happy they were that he was awake.

Reid just kept watch. Luke still looked exhausted – which was to be expected – and he wasn't saying much, but he was communicating and comprehending and it was just about the best result Reid could've asked for.

Holden sent Casey out of the room to find Dr Phillips which Reid had just been about to do himself. Not only did Phillips need to be informed, but the room needed to calm down for Luke, who was starting to look like it was all too much.

Holden seemed to realise the same thing. “Lily, give him some space,” he said quietly, causing Lily to pull back from her son, though she pressed another tearful kiss on his head before she went.

Blinking slowly, Luke turned his head towards Reid. He stared at him for a few moments and when he carefully slid a hand across the bed Reid didn't even hesitate, hooking the tips of their fingers together.

“I made it,” Luke said quietly.

“You did.”

He carefully licked his lips. “And you're okay?”

Of course that was his first question. “You know me, Luke,” Reid told him. “I'm always okay.”

“Mmm,” Luke said, like he knew better, and then the door opened and Phillips strode inside.

She welcomed Luke back, then set about her job. Reid observed closely over the next few minutes as she questioned her patient. She asked some basic questions to test his memory – in general, and of the kidnapping – then asked about his level of pain, if there were any specific areas of his body that hurt. Everything looked pretty good, considering what he'd been through.

Then she asked if Luke had any questions. He had to think for a long time before asking if he'd had another transplant, then, upon hearing that he hadn't, asked if he was going to have one. Phillips was honest with him, saying they just didn't know yet and they were keeping him on dialysis for the time being. His kidney was improving, but they had a ways to go before they knew if a return to it's previous level of functionality was a possibility.

Finally, he asked, “Is it okay if I go back to sleep? I know I just woke up, but...”

“If that's what your body's telling you to do, then you do it,” Phillips told him firmly. “It's very important that you listen to what your body needs in these next few weeks, okay?”

“Got it,” he said, before looking back at his parents. “Sorry, guys.”

“Don't be ridiculous, honey,” Lily insisted. “You do what you need to do to get better. None of us are going anywhere.”

“Well,” Holden pointed out. “I am, but only briefly. I'm gonna go let everyone know the good news. Even Damian,” he added with a sigh. “I'm so glad you made it back to us, son,” he told Luke fondly, touching his shoulder before leaving the room.

“I should get going, too,” Dr Phillips announced. “Now that you're out of the coma, there are some further tests I can schedule. Have them page me if you need anything.” Smiling at them all, she left, too.

Luke immediately turned to Reid. “You're not going anywhere, right?” he asked – almost demanded, really – sliding their fingers further together.

Reid pretended to think about it. “Well, I did have a very busy day scheduled.”

“You did?”

“Yeah,” he said, “it involved a lot of sitting on my ass, doing absolutely nothing. But I could be persuaded to do it next to you.”

“Good,” Luke said firmly, a tired smile on his face. It was still there when he closed his eyes a few moments later, heading back towards sleep.

At least it was just sleep, this time.

When he was sure Luke wasn't about to open his eyes again, he finally looked back at Lily.

Who was frowning. And staring at their hands.

Lifting her head back up, she looked him straight in the eye. “Is something going on between you two?”


	3. Chapter 3

Reid never got to answer Lily's ridiculous question, because Holden returned with an update – he'd spoken to his mother and she'd offered to share the news with everyone else, sparing him the job.

Over the next few days, Reid saw more Snyder relatives than he ever would've thought possible. Though Lily and Holden kept their word and didn't let too many people in, there was still a near-constant influx of visitors lingering outside Luke's room, constantly trying to peer through the blinds. In the end he snapped at them about Luke needing his rest and the risk of infection, which turned out to be remarkably effective in getting them all to clear out.

Reid stayed by Luke's side the entire time – or, as much as was possible. Luke clearly wanted him there – the way he always stretched his hand out towards Reid whenever he entered the room was a dead giveaway – and Reid was just as happy to be there for Luke.

He didn't explain it. Didn't try to justify it. He just knew that it was what he had to do.

That, and keep avoiding the suspicious looks Lily kept sending his way.

He made sure that Luke knew everything the police did about the kidnapping – mostly, that they knew nothing – and that Damian was expressing his affection by posting terrifyingly aggressive-looking men at every access point.

He also made a point of asking Luke if he wanted to talk about what'd happened, because he figured that coming that close to death had to have an affect on a guy. Luke thanked him, but said that he still needed time and that whenever he was ready, he knew his family were always going to be nearby.

In the end, his daily visits with Luke became almost...pleasant. Luke continued to improve, if slowly, and now that his family were mostly under control the two of them spent a lot of time talking. They couldn't talk for long periods of time – Luke still got tired really easily – and though they still teased each other, it was because it was fun, not out of the cruelness they'd initially regarded each other with.

One day, after Luke's first successful attempt at walking – all of five feet, using a walker, with Lily and Holden hovering either side of him – Reid headed up to the cafeteria while Luke was taking a much-needed nap.

That was where Katie found him.

“Hey,” he said, before gesturing towards his tray of 'food'. “Word to the wise – don't try the Meat Surprise. I can't decide if the surprise is that there's no meat at all, or what the meat is really made out of.” Knowing this town, the contents of his meal didn't bear thinking about.

“We need to talk,” she said seriously. “Now. And in private.”

Blinking, Reid nonetheless took her tone and words legitimately. Dumping the rest of his meal in the trash – it'd been a waste of money anyway – Reid dealt with his dishes then found an empty room for them to talk in.

“What's up?” he asked when they were finally alone.

“I'm worried about you,” she said straight away. “About the way you've...been. Since the kidnapping.”

Frowning, he crossed his arms defensively. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” she began, seemingly choosing her words carefully, “that it's been over a week. And you're not back at work yet – even though Bob has said he'll happily clear you for surgery, now. Reid,” she continued, “work used to be the only thing you'd talk about. I've seen you nearly every day since you were taken and you haven't even mentioned it once.”

“Don't know if you noticed,” he pointed out in frustration, “maybe you missed that whole thing where I went missing for a bunch of days? But I've kind of had some stuff going on.”

“And I'm not attacking you for needing to take some time,” she assured him, “but I don't think you're doing anything in that time that'll help.”

“It's not for you to decide how I cope with something,” he ground out.

“You're probably right,” she agreed, “but I'm your friend. Probably your only friend in Oakdale, until recently. And real friends tell you the things you need to hear, even when you don't like it. Thought you of all people would appreciate that,” she added, trying to joke before turning serious again. “You haven't been back to the apartment since you were found. Not even once.”

“Been busy,” he said, voice short.

“Sitting with Luke,” she nodded, “talking with Luke. Talking about Luke. Holding hands with-”

“If you're trying to make a point, just hurry up and make it.” This was interminable.

Katie set her shoulders. “Lily and I have been talking-”

Oh, of course. He knew she'd been up to something. “Luke's mom is in on this?”

“We're both worried about you,” she said, which was something of a surprise, Lily being worried about him. “Lily thought at first that you and Luke were just attracted to each other, and that the kidnapping brought you closer together. But, when I started paying attention,” she moved closer, touching his forearm, “I think even if that is true it's more than that, Reid. Everything you say, everything you do is about Luke.” She held his gaze. “That's not normal.”

Reid felt trapped, because he knew she was right. He'd known it all along, really, but had been doing everything he could to ignore it. “I can't explain it, it's just what I need to _do_.”

She nodded sympathetically. “But I don't think it's helping you. This can't be healthy, Reid.”

“You think I don't know that?” he asked seriously. “When I can't take a bite from a sandwich without choking on it? That every time I'm away from him, even if it's just for a second, I expect him to be dead when I come back?” He'd seen that image in his mind a disturbing amount of times. “Every time I leave that room, when I walk back in I expect to see his dead body.”

“Look,” she said carefully, holding his other forearm as well now, “whether you want to face it or not, I think it's clear you have some kind of...trauma, about the kidnapping. You said it yourself – you were watching someone slowly die, right in front of you, and there was nothing you could do to stop it. Maybe you should speak to someone.”

“Like a shrink?” he snorted.

“Yeah, like a shrink.”

He regarded her sardonically. “You've met me, right?”

“Yes I have,” she said with good humour, “and you may be the most practical man I've ever met. And practical men know that when they need help, they take it.”

Damn her. “You're good,” he was forced to admit.

“I had a lot of practise,” she said sympathetically, like she knew he knew he'd just been outplayed. “I could be quite manipulative, back in the day.”

“Back in the day?” he asked doubtfully, because she'd clearly lost none of her skill. “I'm still not about to see a shrink, though.” He just couldn't imagine blurting out everything in his head to a complete stranger.

Couldn't really imagine doing it to anyone, really.

Luke didn't count. That was a unique situation. And this would be about Luke, in a way.

“How about the next best thing?” she suggested shortly. “Someone you respect, even though you pretend not to. Someone you admire, even though you'd never admit it. Someone you know who always talks sense, even when you hate it.”

Reid knew exactly who she meant. “Katie...”

“He's had a lot of life experience,” she reasoned, “and he's a doctor, so at least you both share that perspective.”

Sighing, he knew he might as well give up because he also knew she never would. “Remind me why I ever moved in with you again?”

“Desperation,” she announced, “exactly the same reason I'm doing this.”

And then she grabbed him, marched him to Bob's office, and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Bob said, and Katie literally shoved Reid into the room.

Geez. “Okay, okay,” Reid said as he stumbled inside, but somehow she'd already disappeared. “How does she do that?”

“Dr Oliver?” Bob asked from his desk, startling Reid as he spun back towards him. “Is everything okay?”

Right. Best just to get this over with. “Well, to be honest, Bob, not really.” Plopping himself down across from Hughes Senior, he sagged back in the chair.

Putting his pen down, Bob focused on Reid intently. “Whatever's the matter?”

Ah, he hated this crap, but Katie was right – it was still better than talking to a shrink, and he couldn't keep hyper-focusing on Luke forever. “It's been brought to my attention that I may have some...trauma...” Ugh, that word. “About the kidnapping.”

Nodding gravely, Bob made an understanding face. “I thought as much,” he admitted, “when you didn't dive back into work as soon as possible. That's why I've been giving you a little breathing room,” he confessed.

Reid shifted in his chair. “You knew?”

“I suspected. You weren't your usual, focused self. Well, you were,” he amended, “it just wasn't your work you were focused on.”

He wasn't enjoying this conversation, per se, but he was finding it a little easier to cope with than he'd anticipated. Maybe that helped him to say, “I don't know how to stop.”

“These situations can be delicate,” Bob said knowingly, “and are often not fixed overnight.”

Reid knew he'd have to put the work in. “I know.”

Apparently pleased by that, Bob then rested his forearms on his desk, linking his fingers together. “I'm assuming you don't want to go the therapy route.”

“You assume correctly.”

“I'll honour that wish for now,” he told him, “but if I feel it's truly necessary in the future-”

Much as he hated the idea, if things got that bad he knew he'd have no choice. “We'll re-visit that idea,” he conceded.

Satisfied, Bob nodded, before splaying his hands and sitting back in his chair. “In that case, Reid, right now I would prescribe a change in your lifestyle.”

Change in his what? “What are you talking about?”

“Your life before was all about work,” he explained, “and your life now is all about Luke. What you need, most likely,” he said seriously, “is some balance.”

Balance didn't sound...too bad. Depending on what it entailed. “What kind of balance?”

“You go back to work,” Bob said quickly, “effective immediately. Or from tomorrow,” he added, “so you can get things squared away at home.”

Reid stared at him, wondering. “What if I don't want to go back to work?” Even now, all he really wanted to do was check that Luke was still breathing.

“Then I start disciplinary proceedings right away. And how would that black mark look on your otherwise exemplary career?” Wow, Bob wasn't screwing around. “Speaking of home,” he continued, “you spend every night at your apartment. You no longer have permission to sleep here, other than in extreme circumstances.”

Honestly it all sounded perfectly logical, but Reid didn't even know if he could do it. “What about Luke?”

“You can still spend time with him of course,” he said, “but in your own time. But not all of your own time,” Bob added, making it clear, “you can't run yourself into the ground, Reid. Even you need a break, time to just...be.”

It all sounded like a perfectly normal life. And right now, Reid found it utterly terrifying. “I may have difficulty,” he forced out, “trying to do this.”

“Part of the reason I'm being firmer with this than perhaps I should be,” Bob conceded. “But I'll be here, if you need help. I know Katie certainly will. And I suspect Luke will, in his own way.”

Yeah, Luke. How the hell was he going to tell Luke?

*

Reid decided that blunt honesty had served him for much of his life, so that was exactly what he was going to use now. “I need the room,” he announced when he stepped into Luke's hospital room. Luke was sitting up in bed – something he spent most of the day doing, now – and looked surprised at Reid's demand.

But he was still breathing.

Lily, who'd apparently been in cahoots with Katie for some time at least, immediately leapt into action and started herding Holden out of the room.

“What?” Holden asked, utterly confused. “Lily, what are you-?”

“Just go, Holden,” she ordered, forcing him out the door with her, “I'll explain everything later.”

When they were alone, Luke started to look worried. “Is everything okay?”

“You're fine,” Reid assured him, “unless Dr Phillips said anything else while I was gone?”

“No,” he shook his head.

Good. “Then you're fine,” he repeated, taking his seat. “It's...me,” he managed. “Who's not so fine. Maybe. Possibly.”

“Glad you're certain,” Luke teased, but there was a gentleness to it. “What's going on, Reid?” he asked, holding his hand out.

“That's going on,” he said, standing up, gesturing to Luke's hand. “That is.”

“What is?” he asked, completely confused. “My hand?”

“I don't hold hands, okay,” Reid told him, “I'm not that guy.”

Luke really didn't seem to get it. “Plainly you are that guy, because you've been doing it every day.”

He had a point. “Okay, so I am that guy, but only a little.” Even Reid knew he had a softer side, it just didn't come out very often. “But I've been having some...issues...since the kidnapping.” Luke tipped his head to one side sympathetically. “I haven't been able to...step back. The way I normally would. As far as I was concerned I was watching you die and it's...”

“Affected you,” Luke concluded.

Reid nodded. “And it's not...healthy. I need to try and do something about it.”

Pressing his lips together, Luke lowered his head. “Does this mean you won't be coming to visit anymore?”

He couldn't stand to see it – probably more proof that he needed to take a step back. “Nah, I'll still be around – just not as often. Tomorrow, I go back to work.”

“So you're not abandoning me completely,” Luke said, looking back up with a watery smile.

“Not gonna happen,” Reid replied. “After all, I did tell Casey we were 'buds'. As I'm sure you know, you can't go around lying to a Hughes. I'm pretty sure you end up getting cursed or something.”

Chuckling, Luke glanced down at his hands again, where they were fiddling together. “It's probably a good thing anyway.”

Intrigued, Reid finally sat back down. “Why's that?”

Luke made a wry face. “You're not the only one with some issues that are probably not very healthy.” Pausing, looking at Reid, he eventually explained. “I don't sleep well, when you're not here.”

How they hell had he missed that? “I didn't know that.”

“I didn't want you to know,” Luke said honestly. “You were already here so much anyway, I couldn't ask you to stay every single time I needed to sleep. Sometimes though,” he admitted, “when I'm trying to sleep I can hear your voice in my ear, like you're right next to me. And then it's easy to sleep.” Reid honestly didn't know what to say to that. “I know it's because of,” Luke gestured, “everything that happened.” He closed his eyes, concentrating. “Sometimes I think I can remember you still talking to me, even when I went into the coma,” he opened his eyes again with a shrug, “but I'm never sure if it's real or my own wishful thinking.”

Reid stared at him. “I did keep talking.”

“You did?” Luke asked hopefully. “Is that why your voice...?”

He nodded. Though it was back to normal by now, it'd still been pretty ropey when Luke had first come out of the coma.

Seeming pleased at that, Luke then started looking embarrassed. “Of course, and then there's...”

“What?”

He looked awkward, but then determined to say whatever it was anyway. “Mom talked to me earlier. She thinks we have...a thing for each other. And it's kind of gotten...mixed up with everything else that's been going on.”

Ah, yeah. “Yeah, I've heard that theory too.”

Reassured, Luke nodded. “You think it's true?”

“I've always found you attractive,” Reid said honestly, because it was definitely the case.

“Even what you hated me?” Luke asked, looking unconvinced.

“Maybe especially then,” he joked. “If I'm honest, I can say that the feelings I have for you seem to have developed into more than just friendly concern. But...we were forced to spend time together in an emotionally charged situation.”

“So how do we know it's really real?” Luke said quietly, more a statement than a question. “Time, I guess,” he said, answering it himself. “And even if there is something there, do either of us want to do anything about it?” he asked, which was a pretty mature question. “And what about Noah?” he asked emotionally, bringing his hands up to his face in despair.

“Hey,” Reid said seriously, leaning in to pull his hands away until he could look Luke in the eye. “All I know is, none of this is going to be figured out right now – none of this has to be figured out right now. God knows I'm not going to pressure you, especially when I have my own crap to figure out. Your recovery absolutely comes first. Like you said,” Reid pointed out, “it'll take time. And as long as you keep taking care of that kidney,” he nodded towards Luke's body, “then we'll have plenty of that.”

Sighing, Luke let out a long breath and visibly tried to relax. “Man,” he said, “did you ever imagine that we'd end up having a conversation anything even remotely like this? All those horrible things we said and did to each other...” Luke shook his head. “You used to drive me crazy.”

“Yeah, well the feeling was mutual,” Reid said easily. “It's not like I was the only one being a dick.”

“Ah ha!” Luke declared. “So you admit it.”

“Yeah, because the idea was so shocking before I did,” he quipped, and they smiled at each other, a little.

Luke regarded him for a while. “I thought you'd never be able to see me as a human being, just as this...annoyance who kept getting in your way.”

“That's a...pretty accurate description,” he mused, mostly to see Luke pretend to be annoyed, “but then I thought you'd only ever see me as your boyfriend's ticket to sighthood, so I guess we've both learned something.”

“Ex-boyfriend,” Luke corrected automatically, then frowned. “I think. God,” he continued, clearly frustrated. “Life would be so much easier if I could just click my fingers and fix everything. Just once I don't want to have to _work_ for something, you know? It feels like I've spent my whole life doing that.”

“I could give you that trite saying that something's only worth doing, only satisfying if you work hard at it – but it's only rich people who say that anyway. Oh, and _look_ who I'm talking to...”

“Very funny,” Luke said, narrowing his eyes.

Reid barely held back a smile. “You'll figure this out. We both will, eventually.”

“I guess,” he said, still not looking happy. “And if this...whatever it is with us...” he gestured between them, “...is really a thing?”

“Well then we'll both have some choices to make. All I know is,” he announced dramatically, “if I end up having to duel Noah Mayer for your honour because of some ridiculous Oakdale law, he is absolutely not getting an advantage just because he's blind.”

Luke just shook his head, finally smiling. “You are still ridiculous.”

“And willing to lie, cheat and steal to achieve success,” he insisted. “Now,” he continued, reaching for Luke's chart, “when's the last time you had a blood test?”

*

Reid had been about to finally make his way home, when one of Damian's guys literally popped up out of nowhere and 'insisted' on giving him a ride. It was a little freaky, perhaps, especially when the guy accompanied him inside the apartment building and silently stationed himself outside Katie's apartment – but he did actually feel safer.

“Okay then,” he said, and knocked on the door. He didn't have keys anymore – they'd been taken too – and spent the time waiting for Katie to open the door dreading her reaction.

It was about what he expected.

“You did it!” she yelled with a huge grin, pulling him into a hug before pulling him into the apartment, closing the door. “You spoke to Bob, right?”

“I did,” he admitted, heading straight for his room to escape her happiness. “We're trying some stuff, don't ask me about it.”

But then he spied Jacob. The kid was in one corner of the room, currently bashing two cubes against each other in the play pen area that'd already been set up when he'd moved in. Feeling surprisingly guilty about not seeing the little guy, Reid moved over to him instead and picked him up, letting his bag of stuff thud to the floor.

“Hey, drool monster,” he greeted, bouncing Jacob in his arms a little. He didn't cry or scream, which Reid saw as an achievement when a face you hadn't seen for more than a week suddenly picked you up. “I hope you haven't been slacking on the job, been producing lots of poop for mommy to clean up.”

“That he has,” Katie remarked, “and then some.”

“A healthy set of bowels is a good thing,” Reid insisted. “That ear infection hasn't come back?”

“Not so far,” she said, smiling at her son.

Nodding, Reid bounced Jacob a few more times. “Yeah, I'm done,” he announced, passing him over to Katie. For Reid, kids were dealt with in much the same way as most adults – best taken in small doses.

Picking his bag back up, Reid was all set to escape to his room when Katie said something.

“Oh, I have something for you. A couple of things, actually.” Walking over to the kitchen, she retrieved something from a small bowl. When she returned and held it out, he finally saw that it was a single key. “You told me they took everything, so I went ahead and got the locks changed, just in case.”

“Smart,” he nodded, taking the key.

“Aaaand...” she headed back towards the kitchen, this time getting something out of a drawer one-handed. It was a cell phone. “It's just a cheap pre-paid one,” she said as she handed it over. “But I figured you had enough going on at the moment without worrying about setting up a new contract.”

That was true. Calling phone companies was like navigating the seventh circle of hell. “Thanks.”

“I already programmed in all the numbers I thought you might find useful,” Katie told him, “people around Oakdale, the hospital. But unless you have the numbers for anyone you knew back in Dallas memorised or somewhere else...”

They were gone. “Yeah,” Reid said, moving on. “How much do I owe you?”

Katie just shook her head. “Keep working on getting better, and then I'll decide if you need to pay me back or not.”

“See, I knew this came at a price,” he told her, but she just put Jacob back down and headed towards the kitchen again.

“I'm gonna put some laundry on,” she said, as Reid finally made it to his room. “Mail's on your bedside table.”

Flicking on the light, Reid just stood there looking at his room for a while. It looked exactly the same. For some reason he'd expected it to be different, even though that made no sense. Shaking his head at himself, he put the key on the table, then dumped everything else on the bed. Sitting down – already, it was so much softer than he remembered – he reached for the mail, figuring he should go through that first.

There was nothing too annoying. A couple of bills that were paid automatically anyway. Some junk mail. A new credit card.

As he pulled his electric razor out of the bag, Reid's gaze fell to his new phone. He had to fight the urge to call the hospital to get an update on Luke. He knew Luke was fine – the last thing he'd done before coming home was speak to him – and even if he had suddenly taken an unexpected nosedive, Bob had promised he'd inform Reid ASAP. He could accuse Bob of many things, but he definitely wasn't a liar.

Reid tried to distract himself by putting his stuff away, having a shower. Getting back into his own clothes again instead of hospital scrubs. He tried reading for a while, watching some crappy TV. Even eating didn't really take his mind off his desire to call Memorial, which was when he finally cracked.

“Look,” he said to Katie, shoving the phone towards her. “Take it back. Just for tonight.” Practically, it didn't mean much. There were other phones in the apartment – Katie's and a land-line – but right then he couldn't cope with having access to his own phone and having to stop himself from using it.

For once she didn't say anything, seeming to realise he was serious, and quietly put the phone in her bedroom.

Trying to sleep that night was the hardest it'd been since being taken. Sleeping at the hospital had been fine, no issue at all, but for whatever reason, now that he was in his own bed he couldn't settle. He didn't know what the hell was up with his brain, but every time he closed his eyes all he could see was Luke lying next to him, dying.

“Well,” he told the ceiling, “this is fun.”

He did manage a few hours of sleep in the end, just due to sheer exhaustion and though he certainly wasn't bright when he strolled into work the next day, he was definitely early.

He also didn't miss the way Bob walked by an hour later, just to make sure he was there.

Being back at work was unsurprisingly strange. No one treated him any differently – that part he did actually find surprising – but it still felt wrong, like it wasn't what he was supposed to be doing. After a few hours, as he got back into the rhythm, it got a little easier to deal with. And when he got dragged into an emergency surgery, the adrenalin kicked in and he didn't think about Luke at all for a whole four hours.

He still wanted to check on him, of course, had to force himself not to go and see Luke during his break. Had to tell himself, again, that if Luke had suddenly died someone would've told him about it by now.

Nonetheless, he was more relieved than he should have been when he walked into Luke's hospital room at the end of his shift, to see that Luke was alive, and well-ish, and definitely not dead.

Lily and Holden, apparently, had learned nothing from their reaction the previous day. Only this time, Holden was in on it too.

“Lily,” Holden said loudly, “you feel like some coffee?”

“That's a great idea, Holden,” she over-enunciated, and then they were both scurrying out of there.

Reid thought about what he knew of Luke, and what he'd just witnessed. “Being subtle is really not a Snyder trait, is it?”

“You figured that out, huh?” Luke asked, looking very pleased to see him. His hand stayed firmly next to his body and Reid's fingers twitched. “How was your day?”

“Could've been better,” Reid said honestly as he sat down, “could've been worse. Yours?”

“The same,” he shrugged. “Sleeping didn't go...great,” he admitted, something they had in common, “but I managed it in the end. I walked a whole ten feet today,” he announced proudly, “unassisted.”

“That is progress,” Reid said, sounding appropriately impressed. “How's the kidney doing?”

They continued talking easily, for a while. Luke confessed that his current difficulty with walking was bringing back some unpleasant memories of his paralysis a few years ago (again: how had Reid never heard about this stuff?) but that talking to Damian and his parents about it was helping. Reid reassured him that having some kind of motor skill problem was common after almost any coma, and that his progress already was proof that it wasn't going to be a permanent issue.

“Also,” Luke said, fingers starting to pick at his blanket, “I've started talking out a lot of stuff with my dad.”

“What stuff?”

“Noah stuff,” he shrugged awkwardly. “I've had a lot of time to think lately,” he said, stating the obvious. “I realised that I got so used to keeping stuff about our relationship inside that I never really dealt with it. And because I never dealt with anything, I played a big part in our problems, too.”

Reid thought it over. “Is it helping?”

“Well, we only really just started,” he offered, holding Reid's gaze, “but I think it will.”

A soft knock on the door made them both turn towards the entrance, where Noah was pushing the door open. Speak of the devil...

“Luke?” he called out.

“Hi, Noah,” Luke greeted, clearly uncomfortable.

“It's so good to hear your voice again,” Noah smiled, stepping into the room. The smile faltered, after a moment. “Is, uh, Damian here?”

“No, he left a few hours ago.”

“Oh, good, good,” he replied, smile returning.

“Reid's here, though,” Luke pointed out, which made Noah's smile falter again.

“Right,” he said, “Reid. Anyway,” he carefully made his way further into the room, until his cane found the end of Luke's bed. “I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner, but Damian made it...clear...that the family needed some time. And that I probably shouldn't be around for a while.”

Luke immediately started apologising. “I'm so sorry, Noah, you know what he can be like. I'll talk to him.”

“Don't worry about it,” Noah shook his head, “the important thing is how you're doing.”

Yeah, Reid really had no interest in being a witness to this little reunion – and he had things that he was meant to be doing anyway, or Bob would have his hide. “I'll leave you two to it,” he said as he stood up.

Luke's head swivelled towards him. “You really have to go?”

“Staying healthy, remember?” Reid reminded but, knowing that Noah couldn't see, this time he slid his hand towards Luke who latched his fingers on eagerly. He could give himself – and Luke – this much. “Besides, you two need to catch up,” he encouraged, giving Luke's hand a squeeze before letting go.

“I'll see you tomorrow,” Luke said softly.

“And so will I, Doctor Oliver,” Noah added, “in a manner of speaking.”

Reid didn't get it, turning towards him. “Sorry?”

“We have an appointment tomorrow,” Noah told him. “It's back on, right?”

Oh. That. “Right,” Reid forced himself to say, “wouldn't miss it.”

He made straight for the door, then, though he could hear them talking behind him.

“So, Noah,” Luke began, “it's good to see you.”

“I'd say the same,” Noah joked, “but, well, you know...”

*

Reid's evening was about as much fun as the evening before. Work the next day, however, had also had pretty much the same effect as the previous day, so he wasn't in a completely horrible mood when Noah's appointment rolled around.

Noah was there perfectly on time – he was always there perfectly on time – and Reid soon saw him into the room and had him sit down.

“Any change?” he asked, shining a light into each of Noah's eyes in turn, checking for any reaction.

“Still can't see a thing,” Noah said sadly, shaking his head.

Flicking the light off, Reid placed it inside the pocket of his lab coat. “Well, we knew there'd be no change yet,” he reminded him. “And even if the drug therapy does help improve things, there's still not going to be any real change until after the surgery.”

“I know,” Noah sighed. “It just makes everything about my life so much harder.”

Reid wasn't without sympathy. “I don't envy your situation, that's true. But,” he declared, “if you stick with the therapy and go through with the surgery, it'll be the best chance you have at being able to see again. I can't guarantee anything,” he emphasised, “but it's still your best shot.”

This was nothing Noah hadn't heard before. “I know,” he replied, shoulders slumped. Reid was in the process of making a few notes on his chart when Noah spoke again. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Reid said absently, still scribbling.

“You and Luke are...friends now, right? Man, that still sounds so strange – I know how he used to get on your nerves.”

Reid stopped writing, lowering the clipboard. “Let me clarify, Mr Mayer – you can ask me anything that's to do with your treatment.”

“I was just wondering if he'd said anything,” Noah pleaded, “about me. About us.”

Reid sure as hell wasn't about to do this. “Even if he has, Mr Mayer, I'm not about to start discussing your personal relationship. You're my patient, the only advice I can give is about your medical care.”

None of that seemed to register with the guy, who just kept talking. “He said that he wasn't so sure about us getting back together anymore, That he'd always be there for me but that he needed some time to work things out. He's never asked for that before,” Noah frowned, looking seriously confused. “You know, we've had our problems before,” Noah told him, as if Reid had encouraged this topic of conversation in any way, “but I was always the one who asked for time, for space. It was never Luke,” he finished, repeating it to himself, “it was never him.”

He was absolutely not getting involved with this – frankly, it would've been unprofessional if he had. “Look, like I told you, Noah, I can't discuss this with you-”

“Come on, you must have an opinion.”

“Even if I do, I'm not about to share it-”

“And why not?” Noah demanded. “Why not now? Before the kidnapping you took every opportunity you could to give your opinion about Luke. You couldn't wait to tell everyone who would listen how he'd ruined your life, how everything he did made you miserable – you even told me to keep him away from you. And what – now, just because of a kidnapping, suddenly you don't have an opinion?”  
_  
Just because of a kidnapping?_ Did he even remember that Luke nearly _died?_ “Oh, I have plenty of opinions, Mr Mayer,” Reid snapped at him, voice tight, “and trust me when I say that you really don't want to hear my strongest one right now. So,” he said clearly, “I strongly suggest that you leave, and that at your next appointment you consider not ticking off the guy who's going to be digging around in your brain in a couple of months.”

Unable to stand the sight of Noah's face for even a moment longer, Reid followed his own advice and stormed out of the room.

*

Much to his own annoyance, the bad mood instigated by one Noah Mayer persisted for the rest of the day. Luke ( _alive_ ) noticed, of course, the moment Reid stepped into his room.

“What's wrong?”

Shrugging it off like it was insignificant – telling himself that Noah really was insignificant in the grand scheme of things – he nodded at Holden and Damian and just said, “Difficult patient.”

“And you couldn't handle them?” Luke teased. “Reid Oliver, terrifier of nurses, bane of the janitorial staff?”

“I'm not that bad,” he pointed out, then when they all looked at him, “no, really, even I know you don't mess with the janitors.” He'd learned that lesson the hard way, a long time ago.

“Didn't Noah have an appointment with you today?” Damian asked and though it was phrased like a question, he clearly already knew the answer.

“I can't decide if it's creepier that you know my schedule or Noah's.”

“Maybe I know both,” Damian smirked, which even made Holden smile some.

Reid rolled his eyes. “Yes, Noah had an appointment with me today, no, I can't discuss it with you other than to say things are still proceeding as planned.” When Luke nodded happily at the news, Reid continued. “How was your day?”

“Good!” he said brightly, more enthusiastic than Reid had seen him, probably since he'd woken from the coma. “Dr Phillips says I'll probably be released soon.”

That was good news. “Already?”

“Well, not today or even tomorrow,” he hedged, “but she said if my walking keeps improving the way it has and because my kidney's looking okay she thinks getting me out of the hospital will ultimately speed my recovery. She'll still want me in here for dialysis a few times of week, initially,” he added, “but then she's going to take me off and see how my kidney holds up.”

“Good news,” Reid nodded.

“Very good news,” Holden agreed, he and Damian both looking almost as happy as Luke.

“It is exciting,” Luke agreed nervously, “but also kind of scary. What if she lets me out and then...it all goes wrong?”

“She's good at her job,” Reid said seriously, “and you know I don't say that about just anyone. She'd only do this if she thought you were ready – and she'll be keeping a close eye on you anyway.”

“Right,” Luke said, nodding decisively like he was trying to convince himself, “right. I know you're right.”

“Better than being left,” Holden joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Wincing, Reid brought his fingers up to the bridge of his nose. “Dad jokes...”

“An affliction, I'm pleased to say,” Damian spoke, “from which I am immune. Now,” he continued, pulling out his phone, “who's for coffee? And I mean the kind that's actually drinkable, not the flavoured water they serve in American hospitals.”

Reid immediately raised his hand.

*

Over the next few days, Reid began to believe – dare say, he even hoped – that Bob's suggestion for getting back on track was starting to work. Reid certainly wasn't 'fixed', but as the days passed the need to be with or always check on Luke became less of a compulsion and more a curiousity. And though, most nights, he still had some difficulty sleeping, he discovered that after a particularly taxing day if he was tired enough he'd just fall straight asleep.

It was a start, at least.

All of this probably had something to do with the fact that Luke continued to improve, looking healthier every day. His catheter had long since been removed and he was able to shower entirely by himself – he had to sit down for most of it, and it took a lot of effort, but now that he could he made a point to shower every single day.

Reid wasn't surprised at all when, after a few more days, Dr Phillips announced she was discharging him.

She was extremely clear with Luke that he needed to listen to his body, but that he also needed to keep walking. They were so pleased with his progress that the hospital had decided against a course of physical therapy at this stage and felt that as long as Luke kept up with his daily walking regimen and there was no back-sliding, there'd be no need for any further action.

She also made it clear that it was vital, of course, that Luke contact her immediately if he even suspected there was anything wrong with his kidney. If he felt unwell, if he got a fever – anything.

The evening of Luke's release, there was a whole gaggle of Snyders, half-Snyders and step-Snyders hovering in the corridor. Reid just kept well away from all of it, knowing there was no point at shouting at them when they'd be leaving voluntarily soon.

Luke was making one last use of the facilities, when Holden quietly approached him. “Can we talk?”

Shrugging, Reid lead him into the empty room nearby. “What's up, Mr Snyder?”

“First of all,” he began, “I think at this point you can call me Holden.”

He blinked. “Okay...what's up, Holden?”

He smiled slightly, and seemed to think about what he wanted to say, before simply just saying, “Most of the time when we see each other, Luke's there, too.”

Reid frowned. “And you want to speak to me without Luke around?”

“I thought it would make things less awkward,” Holden confirmed, before explaining why. “Lily shared her theory with me – about you and Luke.”

Ah. “Is this the part where you pull out your shotgun?”

“All out of slugs,” he said, grinning. “To be honest, it wasn't anything I hadn't already suspected myself. You see a guy holding your son's hand every day and you start to get an inkling,” he joked. “It wasn't just that, though,” he continued. “Lily and I weren't exactly friends at first, either – though we definitely had chemistry. Same as you and Luke.”

This had gone on far too long already. “Look, Mr Snyder-”

“Holden.”

“Holden, I don't know what you think has been going on, but – nothing like that has been going on and I certainly had nothing to do with Luke's recent choices about Noah.”

“I know that,” Holden agreed, nodding. “Especially after some of the things Luke's shared with me lately. If Luke needs space from Noah, it's because he needs it, not because of you. If he ends up ultimately ending things,” he continued, “then it's also because it's what he needs.”

Satisfied, Reid nodded too. “Good.”

Holden wouldn't let up, though. “But that doesn't mean...”

Reid rolled his eyes. “Really?”

“Shocking as this may seem and as much as you may not like it,” Holden said, “you're one of us now.”

What the hell? What was he talking about? “One of who?”

“The Snyders,” he said with a grin. “Everything you and Luke went through, the way you were there for him – he told me, how you kept talking to him – the way you've been there for him ever since. It's probably the last thing you want to hear, but,” Holden said it anyway, “you're family, now.”

Stunned, Reid stared at the huge crowd of people further down the hall. “I don't wanna be in the same family as those crazy people.”

“We'll ease you into it,” Holden slapped him on the shoulder. “And, Reid,” he said seriously, holding his gaze. “Even if it is just friendship, with you and Luke. We care about what happens to you.”

This had literally never happened to him before. Reid honestly had no idea what to say or do. “Okay?”

“So,” Holden continued, “how are you holding up?”

Reid was still too surprised to say anything but the truth. “Uh, better? I think? Not great, but...”

“Good,” he replied warmly, “you let me know if there's anything I can do to help.”

Reid was saved from this slip into what had to be an alternate universe when Lily interrupted, and said that Luke was asking to speak to him. Reid had never moved so quickly away from another human being in his life.

Luke was in his room, fully dressed, sitting in a wheelchair. He was also frowning. “Everything okay?”

Reid was honestly still in shock. “I think your dad just adopted me.”

Luke considered him. “Which dad?”

“The not-scary one.” Though that interaction had been plenty scary in its own way.

“Oh, good,” he grinned. “If I were you, I'd be a lot more concerned about it if it was Damian.” Fair point. “So you're an honorary Snyder now,” Luke continued.

“Seems like,” he said, not knowing what else to say, shoving his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. “Does this mean I'm expected to come to a family meal every major holiday?”

“Absolutely,” Luke said dramatically, “it's a vital family tradition.”

Reid physically weighed up the pros and cons, holding his left hand out the side. “On the one hand, Emma's cooking. On the other,” he held out the other hand, “your crazy family.”

“Not just mine anymore,” Luke pointed out, and somehow he was right. It didn't really mean anything of course – there was nothing legal or binding about any of it. But symbolically it meant a lot.

Even to Reid.

Clearing his throat, he lifted his head and looked back at Luke. “You asked to see me?”

“Oh, right,” Luke said, like he'd forgotten why Reid was even there for a moment. “Well, we hadn't actually said anything about it, yet.” He didn't have a clue what Luke was talking about. “I assumed, but you know what they say about those.”

There were so many things Reid could say about asses, but wisely chose to say nothing.

“I just wanted to make sure,” Luke continued, “that I'm still going to see you.”

Ah. Much like Luke, Reid had just assumed he'd still be visiting, too – just elsewhere. “Depends,” he said, pretending to muse it over, “which of your eighteen homes will you be staying in?”

Luke made a face, though there was some amusement in it. “The farm, for now. That was where I recovered the last time and there's so much nature and space out there. It'll make walking properly again much easier, I think. It did last time, anyway,” he shrugged.

“I guess I better find out where 'the farm' is then,” Reid told him, because he honestly didn't have a clue.

Clearly pleased, Luke suddenly whipped a piece of paper out from somewhere. “Well, look what I have here...”

Taking it, Reid unfolded the paper to see an address scribbled down in messy handwriting. “How convenient.”

“Almost like I planned the whole thing,” he grinned.

Reid was grinning back when the door behind him opened. When he turned, he saw Dr Phillips and Bob entering the room.

“Luke,” Bob greeted happily, “thought I'd come and see you off.”

“Thanks, Bob,” Luke smiled. “That's really nice of you.”

“Thought I could also help corral the masses,” he leaned in and said sotto-voice, nodding to everyone waiting outside.

“That is definitely really nice of you,” Reid replied. He had a hell of a lot more patience than Reid did – which wasn't a great surprise.

“You remember when your first dialysis appointment is?” Phillips checked.

“Two days, 11:30,” Luke recited.

“Good,” she nodded, pleased. “And I meant what I said – you have any concerns about anything, you give me a call right away.”

“I will,” he said seriously.

“Okay, then,” she declared, looking around at everyone, “let's get you out of here.”

*

The next day was definitely...strange without Luke in the hospital. A large portion of Reid's workday was spent nowhere near Luke's room anyway, but over the weeks since the kidnapping Reid had been viscerally aware, at all times, of exactly where Luke was.

And he wasn't there, anymore.

Still, it wasn't long until work did it's job of distracting him – a little too well, ultimately, as he got pulled into a lengthy emergency surgery in the late afternoon. It was after 9pm when he got home and it was only after saying hi to Katie and the kid, and he face-planted into his bed, that he realised he should probably tell Luke.

His parents had picked him up a new phone, too, and as he'd insisted on giving Reid his number, it was easy enough to contact him.

 _Surgery ran late_ , he texted, _won't make it today_. Thinking about it for a minute, he realised the time and that though he'd improved, Luke was still recovering. _Sorry if I woke you_.

It didn't take long to get a response. _No problem_ , Luke replied, _thanks for letting me know. And I'm trying to regulate my sleeping anyway._

Reid narrowed his eyes suspiciously. _But you have been getting rest?_

 _Yes, Dr Oliver ;) ;) ;)_ Reid couldn't possibly imagine why anyone would need to use three emojis in a row, but when a new message came through that said, _Can I call you?_ he forgot all about it and immediately replied.

_Sure._

Five seconds later, his phone was ringing. “Hi,” he said when he answered, lying on his back.

“Hi,” Luke replied, sounding pleased to hear his voice “How'd the surgery go?”

“Brilliantly.”

“Of course,” he mocked. “I just wanted to call because I figured it'd be easier than putting it all in a text.”

“Putting all what in a text?”

“Grandma Emma's having a family meal in a couple of days,” Luke told him, “to celebrate my release from hospital.”

Reid thought about what he knew about Emma, and decided this wasn't surprising news. “Something tells me Emma would celebrate a rabbit coming out of a hat.”

“Hey, that was the best birthday party I ever had,” Luke insisted, and for at least half a second Reid thought he was serious. “Anyway,” he continued, “Grandma said to tell you you're invited and by invited she means that you have to attend or you'll be shunned forever.”

This all sounded very suspicious. “I may have to ask Emma about the legitimacy of these statements.”

“Oh, I wouldn't bother,” Luke said casually, “she's a very busy woman.”

“I'm sure,” Reid replied, in a tone of voice that suggested otherwise.

Luke played it up for all he was worth. “Are you implying I'm not trustworthy, Dr Oliver?”

“I'm saying I already know for a fact that you'll do whatever it takes to get what you want. Mr Snyder.”

Chuckling, Luke finally broke character. “No, but you'll come, right? Grandma really wants you to. And...I do, too,” he admitted.

Even Reid's black heart couldn't say no to that. “How crowded is it going to be?”

“Pretty crowded, but not has bad as it is at Thanksgiving and Christmas. You think you can cope with that?”

“Won't know unless I try,” Reid shrugged.

“So...that's a yes?” Luke's voice was so hopeful.

“That's a yes.”

“Great!” Luke enthused. “Like I said, it'll be a couple of days yet – I'll text you the details when they've been pinned down.”

“What about until then?” he asked. “Should I visit after work tomorrow? Assuming another idiot doesn't decide to go base jumping off a clock tower.”

Luke was silent for a while, as he probably thought it over. “Maybe chill for a couple of days?”

Who the hell even said 'chill' anymore? “Chill?”

“It's not that I don't want to see you,” he explained, “if anything it's the opposite. But I'm still adjusting to being back here, my body the way it is and-”

“Luke,” he interrupted firmly, “you don't need to explain. I'll see you the night of the meal.”

“...okay,” he said eventually. “Thanks. I'll see you then, too. Uh, sleep tight?”

Reid found himself smiling. “You too.”

“Don't let the bed bugs biiiiite!” Luke sang, badly, before hanging up.

Ending the call, Reid let his arm flop down against the bed. “What a dork,” he said, and closed his eyes.

*

The night of the meal, Reid saw a dark car parked near the entrance to the Snyder farm, recognising the men standing near it. Damian continued to be be paranoid, it seemed, but as they were there to ensure Luke's safety, Reid could only be thankful for it.

Parking up, he could smell dinner before he even got to the house. The farmhouse looked...homey and not at all like a mansion. Though he'd had to drive some distance on to Snyder land to reach it, it didn't quite seem to reflect the huge amount of money they had.

The land itself definitely reflected the huge amount of money they had.

Two kids came bursting out of the porch, chasing each other – Luke's siblings? – and when they saw Reid they both stumbled to a halt before yelling “Grandma!” and running back inside.

Right. Kids. He'd forgotten they'd existed.

Setting his shoulders, he pulled open the door to the porch just as Emma pulled open the screen door further inside.

“Reid,” she said kindly, actually looking happy to see him, “how wonderful that you came.”

“Uh, thanks,” he said awkwardly, still not used to any of it. “Food smells great.”

“Then let's hope it tastes just as good,” she said, stepping back and holding the door open. “Please, come inside. I know Luke's eager to see you.”

The house looked just as welcoming on the inside. There were a few people already there, but honestly, not quite as many as Reid had feared. If it stayed at around this number of people, he figured he'd find it manageable.

The table was already set, near the kitchen, with a huge array of dishes ready and waiting and most of the seats already taken.

Luke was sitting at one end of the table, probably given place of honour because the meal was for him, after all. When he spied Reid he immediately started getting up.

Reid almost told him not to, then reminded himself that Luke knew better than anyone else what he was physically capable of right now.

“Reid,” he welcomed with a grin, carefully making his way over, supporting himself on furniture as they moved closer to each other. “I'm glad you came.” He was dressed in dark pants and a button-down shirt, and Reid was suddenly glad he'd thought to do the same.

“Free food,” he shrugged, because that was at least part of the reason – though he said it with a smile so Luke knew it wasn't the only reason. “Wasn't about to miss out on that.”

“'Course you weren't,” he agreed, before slowly turning back around. “Come on, I'll show you to your seat.” Which was, apparently, right next to Luke's.

The others had apparently been waiting for Luke to get his own greeting out of the way, because as Reid sat down they all set about welcoming him in their own way. He nodded a little uncomfortably at the attention.

He knew most of the people at the table, he realised – it was really only the kids he didn't know. It certainly wasn't the huge crowd of Snyder's who'd been at the hospital, for which he could only be thankful.

Lucinda was at his other side, and it wasn't long until she started talking as Reid absently adjusted his silverware. “And how are you doing, Dr Oliver? I know facing down a hoard of Snyder's can be – an adjustment. I didn't enjoy it myself, back in the day.”

Yeah, Lucinda had probably hated it. The Snyder's lives were clearly very different from the way Lucinda was probably used to living. Lily and Holden were probably the only thing that'd ever brought them together.

“Of course,” she continued with a suspiciously evil tone of voice, “Noah always seemed to cope with it just fine.”

Reid knew exactly what she was doing. He found himself reacting to it anyway. “I'm coping just fine, Ms Walsh – it's hardly brain surgery.” He picked up his glass of water. “I would've thought you'd find it more challenging, having to dine with...” he nodded across to Damian, who was sitting on Luke's other side, chatting with his son.

“Yes,” she made a face, shoulders slumping briefly. “Do you know, I think this might be the first time that this particular group of people have ever managed to eat a meal together?” She nodded to Damian, gestured to Lily and Holden sitting at the other end of the table. “The things we put up with for family.”

“For Luke,” he corrected, because after all, he was the only reason they were all there.

“For Luke,” she agreed, clinking her glass against his.

“There,” Emma announced, placing one last dish on the table. “We're all ready. I hope everyone enjoys it.”

“You know we will, Momma,” Holden assured her.

She shot him a fond look. “Is Faith here?” Emma frowned as she took her own seat, looking at an empty chair.

Shaking her head, Lily turned towards the family room. “Faith, will you get in here please? It's time to eat and Emma's gone to a lot of effort.” There was no verbal reply, but after a few seconds a grumpy looking teenage girl shuffled into the room and flopped down into the chair.

Satisfied, Emma looked down to their end of the table. “Luke, if you'd like to say grace.”

Apparently knowing this was coming, Luke lowered his head, closed his eyes, and took Reid's hand.

Reid knew the basics of giving thanks, but he didn't think he'd ever actually done it before. His parents had never done it, and God knew Angus had never given thanks for anything in his life. It seemed simple enough, though. He held Luke's and Lucinda's hands, lowered his head, and just listened.

“First, I'd like to thank Grandma Emma for this wonderful meal. I'd like to thank my friends and family for their love and support – I'm sure it's helped me recover faster. I'd like to thank Dr Phillips for all her help and advice. Most of all, though,” Luke said, “I'd like to thank Reid.”

Surprised, Reid blinked his eyes open and probably shattered some unspoken rule of thanks giving when he stared at Luke. Luke himself didn't move his head at all, though his hand squeezed Reid's like he knew he was watching.

“I'm certain,” Luke said firmly, “that I wouldn't have lasted as long as I had if I hadn't been under Reid's care. Maybe he couldn't fix what was wrong with me,” he added, which is what Reid had been about to point out, “but he kept me talking, he kept my mind active, and even when I couldn't talk anymore he did the talking for me. In his own way, I'm sure he saved my life.”

Reid could only sit there, stunned, as Luke lifted his head and grinned around at his family. “Let's eat!” They all murmured their agreement as they reached for the dishes in front of them.

Luke looked only vaguely embarrassed when he turned to face Reid. “Gonna need my hand back,” he joked, holding their joined hands up for a moment.

Reid didn't let go. Even though he knew Damian was watching, he didn't care. “Why'd you say that?”

“Because it's true,” Luke shrugged. “As far as I'm concerned, you saved my life.”

“But-”

“And I don't wanna hear any argument against it,” he interrupted, already knowing Reid far too well. “Yes, technically you didn't get us out. Yes, technically you didn't save my kidney. But that's not the only way you can save someone,” he added softly.

Reid still couldn't look away.

Fortunately – or unfortunately – Lucinda had also been paying attention. “Dr Oliver,” she spoke, making him jerk and turn towards her, “if you're quite done with my Grandson's hand, he needs it to eat.”

Finally realising what he was still doing, Reid released the hand, threw another quick glance at Luke's pleased face – and then reached for the potatoes.

Food.

Food he could deal with.

*

Unsurprisingly, dinner was delicious and Reid decided that if there was a God, her name was probably Emma Snyder.

Being a guest, his offer to help clear up was loudly refused by everyone and somehow he found himself on the sofa next to Luke, who was currently talking him through the contents of a family photo album.

Again, Reid could never remember doing this before.

And yet he also wasn't finding it boring.

It probably had something to do with the fact that each picture came with a ludicrous story attached – he was convinced Luke was making half of them up, just to hear Reid's spluttered objections about how ridiculous Oakdale was. Luke was still grinning, having just explained about Grandpa Harvey's horseshoe fetish (that had to be a lie), when he turned another page and his face dropped.

“Oh,” he said, “I didn't realise this was in here.” He turned the page over further and Reid saw it was a photograph of Luke and Noah sitting together in the farmhouse, wearing distinctly festive sweaters.

“Nice duds,” he remarked, which made Luke grin again briefly. “Any ludicrous story to go with this one?”

“No,” Luke shook his head, still looking at the picture. “It was our first Christmas at the farmhouse.”

“So, a good memory,” he deduced.

“Kind of,” Luke replied, carefully closing the book, smoothing his hands over the front. “But then that's the problem – all my memories of him are either bad or just 'kind of' good. I can't even remember being really happy together for more than a day at a time.”

More proof, as far as Reid was concerned, that their relationship hadn't been good for Luke right from the beginning. “I'm surprised he's not here.” Reid really had expected Noah to be at the meal, had prepared himself for having to be somewhat pleasant to him for a couple of hours.

“I almost invited him,” Luke admitted, “just because of our history – and I do still care about him. But...I didn't want to lead him on, give him mixed signals, especially when I've been asking for time, lately.” He placed the photo album to one side before facing Reid again. “I don't want him to think we're just going to get back together.”

Reid couldn't help but notice the way that'd been phrased. “You're sounding more and more sure about that.”

“Yeah,” Luke replied, holding his gaze, “I am.”

Lily suddenly appeared out of nowhere – Reid could've sworn she'd literally teleported – making them both snap their heads towards her. “Reid,” she began, “would you mind doing me a favour?”

“Sure thing, Ms Walsh.” Smoothing his hands across his pants, he stood up. “What do you need?”

“Well it's Luke, really,” she explained, glancing towards him. “As you know, as part of his recovery he's walking several times a day. That includes after dinner,” and Reid could already see where this was going. “Someone always walks with him, just in case he needs help, but there's so much to do,” she said helplessly, gesturing back towards the kitchen. “Would you mind?”

Reid looked around at Lucinda, who'd clearly never cleaned a dish in her life and was currently doing nothing except drinking a very large glass of wine. He looked at Damian, who probably just bought new dishes instead of cleaning them, and was typing something into his cell phone.

Then he looked back at Lily, who was just waiting innocently.

“It'd be my pleasure,” he sighed, and helped Luke up from the sofa.

The temperature had been dropping in the evenings, lately, so he insisted on Luke wearing a coat, and it wasn't long before they stepped out of the house. In deference to Reid's concerns, Luke suggested they walk out to the barn and back, so they'd at least have some cover. They walked closely to each other, Luke lightly holding the back of Reid's raised forearm, just in case he needed help balancing.

Luke tried making small talk as they slowly approached the barn – spoke about how dialysis went the other day, that Casey had visited him for a while that morning.

Reid had never 'taken a walk' with anyone before, either – this was another first. He'd walked places with other guys, sure, but it'd never been an event in itself. He didn't really mind doing it now, if he were honest – he just didn't like the way Lily had gone about it.

Reid got stuck in his head for so long, that eventually Luke just had enough.

“Okay,” he demanded, pulling his hand away and turning to look at him, “what is wrong with you?”

Probably best to be honest. “Your mom,” he started, gesturing back towards the farmhouse, “was it just me, or..?”

“Ah,” Luke said, scrunching his nose up awkwardly. “Yeah, I...don't think you're imagining things.”

At least it wasn't just him. “Your parents are...”

“...trying to push us together,” he agreed.

“Right.” Reid took a moment. “And why are they doing that?” He didn't mind, per se – it was definitely better than keeping them apart – but he hadn't expected it, despite how welcoming everyone had been, lately.

Chuckling, Luke resumed his walk towards the barn, making use of Reid's arm again. “I guess because they've seen another side to Noah?” He didn't sound too sure about the answer himself. “Like I said, I've been talking to them about him a lot – that's continued since I came home. It's helped me process a lot,” he said with a shrug. “Maybe it's helped them, too. Plus,” he added, “they probably feel a little guilty for not seeing how bad things were, sometimes. But like I said to them,” he let out a heavy breath, “that's as much my fault as anyone's for not talking about it before.”

Reid was still trying to understand their logic. “So their immediate response was to shove you towards the first guy they see?” If that was how they dealt with their own issues, it was no wonder Luke had relationship problems.

“You're hardly any guy,” Luke reminded, “they already think we like each other. And you're family now, remember?” he teased, as they reached the barn. “Here,” he said, gesturing for Reid to open the barn door, “you can meet Daisy.”

“Daisy?”

Daisy, as Reid soon learned, was not a cow. She was very much a horse – and she had enormous teeth.

“There is no way I'm petting that thing,” Reid insisted when Luke encouraged him to do so. She wasn't the only horse stabled there, but she was the only one Luke had immediately lasered in on.

“Having a healthy respect for horses is a good thing,” Luke acknowledged, “but she's harmless. Ethan's ridden her – well, sat on her,” he amended, “under supervision. Dad wanted to get him used to being around horses and she's old enough and calm enough that we knew he wouldn't get hurt.”

“You ride as well?” Reid asked, distracting himself as he finally followed Luke's example, slowly and carefully stroking her side. It didn't feel very different to stroking a short-haired dog.

“I grew up here, of course I can,” Luke said proudly, pressing his head to Daisy's face when she leaned towards him. “Haven't for a long time, though,” he said a little sadly, moving back. “She's not much use for anything, now,” he continued as he kept petting her, “but every now and then there's a horse Dad just can't bear to get rid of.”

He sounded extremely nostalgic. “Maybe you could make a point to ride her, when you're feeling up to it.”

“Maybe I could teach you to ride,” Luke offered instead, the suggestion improving his mood considerably.

“Are you kidding me?” Reid said back, valiantly ignoring the innuendo. “Do you have any idea the amount of head injuries I've dealt with because of people riding one of these things?” Daisy seemed to regard him suspiciously – Reid hadn't even known horses could do that. “No offense, Daisy.”

Laughing quietly, Luke leaned in towards him. “You are something else, Dr Oliver.”

“To be fair, this is something I've always said,” Reid agreed, grinning, but when Luke's gaze fell to his mouth he instinctively backed away. “Luke...”

Realising what he'd been doing, Luke turned away, bracing his body against a nearby post. “Sorry, sorry,” he said immediately, “I know we're still meant to be working things out, being very mature and responsible,” he waved a hand around, then carefully faced Reid again as he spoke passionately. “But all I've had, for weeks, is time to think. Thinking about Noah, you – myself. In that cell, in the hospital, at the farm – and I know I like you,” he finished. “I've been drawn to you since the beginning – even when I didn't want to be, even when I was too angry at you to let myself realise it, I...couldn't leave you alone. And,” he added with certainty, “I know you like me too.”

“You make it sound like we've been passing notes in gym class,” Reid muttered, rubbing a hand over his face.

“Okay,” Luke conceded, “I can do better than that – I know you're attracted to me.”

“I told you that myself.”

“But it's not just attraction,” he insisted. “There's more to it than that.”

Reid studied him carefully, the determined set of his face. “You seem pretty sure about that.”

“I am,” Luke said confidently. “The same way I knew about Noah, about Brian. I know you like me.”

Reid winced dramatically. “Did you just compare me to your Grandfather?”

“Reid, come on,” Luke said, for once not playing along, “just tell me something true.”

“What do you want me to say?” he asked rhetorically. “Yes, I like you. In the passing-notes-in-the-classroom way. And not just because we were trapped together.” He had always been attracted to Luke, after all, and though he never would've admitted it at the time, thoroughly enjoyed how Luke was able to keep up with him verbally, even when Reid was trying to shred him to pieces. Getting to know Luke much better – in that room, and the hospital afterwards – had only exacerbated the problem. “If we'd met in any other situation,” he said bluntly, “I would've suggested hooking up already.”

Luke didn't look very happy to hear any of it. “Just hooking up?”

“Hey, sex with me would be awesome,” he pointed out, then looked at Luke seriously. “The plan was always to perform Noah's surgery and then get the hell out of dodge.” Luke already knew this. “The plan was never to stay.”

He pressed his lips together tightly. “I know.”

Reid started pacing around the barn. “If we did try something...what would that mean for me? It's not just a case of whether you like me or I like you. It could potentially mean uprooting my whole life.”

Luke stared at him as he listened, wide eyed. “It's just dating, Reid.”

“Come on, Luke,” he scoffed. “You'd never be the type to do casual. You're all in, or nothing. Which would mean one of us would have to think about moving permanently, or doing this long distance.”

“Doing this...” Luke repeated, seemingly realising something as he did so. “Wait, does that mean you want to do this?”

Reid just looked at the ridiculous, frustrating man standing in front of him, and knew what his answer was. “God help me,” he sighed, “but yes.” Even though it probably was too soon, even though they were both still recovering, in their own way. He couldn't keep denying it any more than Luke could.

A brilliant smile crossed Luke's face, for a few seconds, before he stumbled closer to Reid. “But what about everything you were just saying?”

“Just pointing out some very valid concerns, that we're going to have to deal with.” They shared a wry look. “Look, nothing's going to happen now, anyway. You still need to work out exactly where you stand with Noah, so you need to be really sure about this.”

“Yeah,” Luke nodded, knowing Reid was right. “I know I need to really end things with him. Even if we weren't...happening, I know I don't want to be in that relationship anymore. I should've done it already,” he admitted, “it's just I was in hospital and...he's blind, you know? God,” he added, sounding guilty, “that sounds like such a bad reason to stay with someone.”

“You feel sorry for the guy – almost anyone would.” Reid could see where he was coming from – it did seem a little like kicking a guy while he was down. But was it really any better staying committed to someone under false pretences?

“And you're his doctor, too,” he pointed out, pausing when he remembered that. “Is this gonna screw things up for his surgery?”

“Not as far as I'm concerned,” Reid shrugged. “I'll still perform it, though I doubt he's going to be my biggest fan.” If this was actually happening, sometime soon he was going to have another awkward conversation with Bob. “It'll probably be a good idea to assign another doctor to him, at least for his check-ups – try to make it as stress-free for him as possible.” He may not have been a fan of Noah Mayer, but he certainly didn't want to impact his progress.

Seeming to agree that it was a good idea, Luke reached out to steady himself on Reid's arms. “So...we're doing this.”

“We're doing this,” he agreed, unable to hold in his own small smile. “Just not yet.”

“Not yet,” Luke agreed slowly. “But soon?”

Reid chuckled. Seemed patience wasn't a strong suit of Luke's, either. “We'll see. You still need to get better and...so do I.”

Unable to deny that, Luke nodded sombrely. “That stuff I said a while ago, about wishing I could magically fix things?”

Reid remembered. “Yeah?”

“Applying even more right now,” he said gruffly. “What use is being rich if it can't make all my problems go away?”

Reid knew he was at least partially joking – knew by this point that Luke didn't give a crap about the money. He responded to it anyway. “You know what they say, Mr Snyder – some things are worth the wait.”

“Hmm,” Luke replied, drifting closer, eyes falling to Reid's mouth again – only this time, he didn't mind. “I'm sure it will be.”


	4. Chapter 4

Katie wasn't there when he got home, so he got changed, did a few chores, prepared a few things for work, and generally just waited for her to get back.

He was on the sofa, clutching a cushion, when she entered the apartment with Jacob in his pram. “Hey,” she said, still concentrating on getting the kid inside. “Jacob and I have been hanging out with Henry. This little guy is sound asleep, thank God, so just let me put him down and then I want to hear all about how the meal-” Finally getting a good look at Reid, she paused, somehow realised the enormity of the situation and leapt into action. “I'll be right back, don't move,” she told him, quickly hustling Jacob into her room. She must've been able to get the little monster safely into his cot in record time, because it felt like no time at all until she was sitting next to him, tugging the cushion from Reid's arms so she could hold it herself. “What happened?”

No other way to say it, really. “Luke likes me.”

Katie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I figured that much out.”

“You did?”

“I may not be a master genius like you, Dr Oliver, but when it comes to affairs of the heart, I am an expert.” She leaned towards him as if sharing a secret. “For the record, I know you like him, too.”

Shocker. “That's not a huge leap to make, considering the theory you and Lily have been running with, lately.”

“True,” she concurred. “Though I normally would've pushed the idea much harder than I did. But...” she looked at him thoughtfully. “You weren't in the place to hear it. So,” she shifted, excited, “did something happen?”

It was amazing how invested she was in someone else's love life. “We're going to try. Doing the...dating thing.”

“Reid!” she exclaimed. “That's amazing. But...” she studied him again. “You feel ready for that? After what you've been dealing with?”

He appreciated the question. “I think so.” He still had a ways to go, but... “I still want to be with him all the time, but it's not a need anymore. It's a...want.” It felt a lot more like a choice, now.

“And you want him a lot, huh?” Katie teased.

He lifted his eyebrows at her. “You're intolerable.”

“You know, I've told you all about mine,” she began, propping one arm up on the back of the sofa, “but you've never told me a thing about your relationship history.”

That was pretty much for the same reasons he'd explained to Luke. “Not that much to tell, really-”

“Hold everything,” she announced, putting the cushion aside as she stood up. “I'll get the ice cream.”

Reid would've told her not to bother, but he really liked ice cream and hadn't had any since before being kidnapped.

Plus, he knew she'd get a kick out of hearing about Tony.

“So,” she said after learning everything, waving her spoon up and down in contemplation, “nothing serious.”

“Not really,” he confirmed, double checking there was no trace of ice cream left on his own spoon.

“Hmm.” She sat back against the sofa. “You know it's not going to be casual with Luke?”

He reached for the tub again, resting on the coffee table. “I've met the guy – trust me, I know.” The ice cream had melted considerably by now, so it was no effort at all to get another spoonful out and put the tub back down.

“Are you ready for that?” she asked seriously, making him pause. “Not just because of what you've been through, but – as a person. You're my friend, but I care about Luke, too. I don't want either one of you to get hurt.”

Reid finished off his latest spoon before resting back against the sofa himself. “I never thought it'd ever happen.” It was the truth. “Was never in the plan I had for my life.” Once he got away from Angus, the plan had been simple – college, med school, work. Any relationships would be mutually pleasurable and definitely temporary.

“But...?”

“But...” Getting to know Luke had changed things. “There's something about him. That makes me want to try.”

Katie's face went all emotional as she tipped her head to one side. “Oh, Reid...”

“Don't get all mushy on me,” he warned, though she was already moving in for the kill. “And put that spoon down, the last thing I want is you getting ice cream all over me.” Knowing there was nothing he could do to escape it, he bowed to the inevitable and accepted the hug.

“You're gonna be so happy, Reid,” Katie told him, holding him tight.

Maybe.

Maybe.

He hoped so.

*

As the next couple of days passed, Reid continued to feel like Bob's advice about 'balance' was working – especially now that Luke was out of the hospital, that Reid could actually see him looking so healthy and vital. It crossed his mind less and less that Luke might suddenly drop dead, instead having what he considered 'normal' thoughts like wondering what Luke was up to, or fantasising about how hot the sex would be whenever they got down to it.

He was only human, after all.

That fantasy definitely helped confirm he was making progress, Reid discovered, when he felt the urge to actually jerk off for the first time since the kidnapping. The very first opportunity he had at grabbing some privacy, he had a grand old time doing something about it.

Reid figured keeping this balance stuff going was probably a good idea, so – after discussing it with Luke – decided it was healthier, at least for the time being, not to spend every possible evening with him, and try meeting up on an informal every-other-day schedule.

They still weren't technically dating – mostly they took a walk around the farm whenever Reid visited, passing the time by talking about whatever came to mind. He was himself and Luke was Luke, so the discussions almost always ended up somewhere intense and frustrating, but also rewarding. He discovered it was kind of nice, in a way, not-dating but knowing you were going to. It built up a delicious kind of anticipation. They both knew they wanted each other, they both knew they were going to have each other, just...not quite yet.

One day, Reid decided he'd been making so much progress, it was time to tackle his other nemesis.

“I can do this,” he said, staring at the plate. “It's just a sandwich.”

“I still don't get why you're trying to force the issue,” Katie said, plopping down in the seat next to him at the kitchen table. “You're trying not to rush things with Luke, right? Why should this be any different?”

“Katie,” he said seriously, “I know you think you know me well at this point, but you're clearly misunderstanding just how much sandwiches mean to me.”

She studied him doubtfully. “Now you're just being silly.”

“I'm being completely serious.” Okay, so he was joking – but not by that much. To Reid, a good sandwich was a work of art. If you got the mix of fillings in just the right combination, it was better than almost anything you could eat. He missed the hell out of a good sandwich.

“And so am I,” she retorted. “From what you told me, it's impacting your ability to breathe when you try, right? I'm not saying don't try at all – of course you're going to have to eat sandwiches again at some point. Just...I don't think it's something you can brute force your way through.”

He slumped back, gesturing towards her. “Then what do you suggest, Madame Therapist?”

“Start small. Try a piece of bread – not even a whole slice,” she specified, “just a small piece of bread that you tore off.”

Sighing, he knew it was worth a try, and starting small was probably a good idea. He'd had problems eating a burger the other day, so it wasn't just sliced bread that was the issue. Any type of bread product just set off his gag reflex.

It still made no sense to him at all. Being traumatised by what'd happened? Absolutely, much as he didn't like the idea. But...of all the things that could've set him off, it was the freaking bread? His claustrophobia getting worse, that he could've understood. Getting even more obsessive about germs, that he could've understood.

But _bread?_

“I can't believe I have the stupidest trauma response ever,” he muttered, eyeing the sandwich. It looked really good, and he hated it.

“You know it's not a competition, right?” Katie reminded kindly. “Other reactions to trauma aren't 'cooler' than yours are.”

“Gee, but I wanted to sit at the cool kids table,” he said sarcastically, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wished he could just get over this – he totally understood how Luke felt about magically wanting to fix things.

Standing up, she rubbed a reassuring hand across his shoulder. “I don't wanna put more pressure on you by just sitting here watching while you try, so I'm gonna make myself scarce, okay?”

He appreciated the thought, slumping forward towards the plate. “Thanks, Blondie.”

“Rome wasn't built in a day,” she reminded, giving him one last pat before walking away.

“Rome didn't have to force itself to eat a sandwich, either,” he retorted, which probably didn't make sense but then he wasn't at his best right then.

Okay. All he had to do was tear a piece of bread off, put it in his mouth, do a little chewing – and swallow it.

Easy.

*

The bread thing hadn't gone well, but he cheered himself up with the thought that he'd get to hang out with Luke for a while. The drive over was familiar, by now – as was the sight of Damian's men, lurking nearby – and the sun was still up when the wheels of his car crunched across the gravel in the drive-way at the Snyder farm.

Locking the car, he reached the house and pulled open the porch door – only to realise Casey Hughes was sitting on the bench inside the porch. Eyes widening comically, Casey glanced around then quickly grabbed Reid's arms, yanking him down onto the bench next to him.

Reid was quite rightly about to object when Casey leaned in and hissed, “Look, I know we're not friends, but don't go in there, man.” Confused, Reid got past the distraction of being groped by Casey Hughes and realised he could hear raised voices in the house. “Noah asked me to drive him over,” Casey continued to explain, “said he and Luke needed to talk some stuff out. I thought Luke knew!” he whispered dramatically. “But as soon as we got here, it was clear pretty fast he had no idea we were coming. Luke told him to come in anyway, though and...” he glanced back towards the house, like he could see through the wall to the kitchen, “I'm pretty sure he's breaking up with Noah – for real, this time. I'm pretty sure his family know, too,” he added, “because they all cleared out fast.”

Reid shook his head. “Brave of them.” Nonetheless, there was no real advantage to staying, and it would be awkward for all involved if they found out he was there. “I should go,” he said, moving to stand up.

“Oh _hell_ no, Dr Oliver,” Casey said desperately, grabbing his arm to keep him there. “If I'm trapped here because I'm Noah's ride out of here, there's no way in hell you're skipping out on this awkwardness either.” His face was set, absolutely determined. “If you try to leave me here alone, I will run straight into that room and tell both of them you're here.”

“You can't be serious.”

“I'm serious as the sun,” he insisted.

“That doesn't even make any sense,” Reid complained, but Casey had him by the balls. Reid generally didn't fly under the radar, but he had no interest in getting stuck in the middle of anyone's break-up – even Luke and Noah's. He'd very much prefer not to make his presence known right now.

It was still awkward as hell, though, sitting next to Casey Hughes, trying not to pay attention to the arguing inside. Reid honestly tried not to take in what was being said, but when the arguing moved into the kitchen, it was virtually impossible not to hear everything.

“-but come on Noah,” Luke's voice said, “we haven't been happy, really happy in – well, ever! Either I'm too clingy, or you're emotionally distant, I don't feel like I'm getting the support I need, and you're getting way more support than you want. We don't work, not in a romantic relationship.” He paused. “You need someone who can give you what you need – that's not me, you've made that abundantly clear. And I need someone who...can give me what I need.”

That, apparently, caught Noah's attention. “Is there someone else?”

“That's not what this is about, Noah.”

“That's not a denial, Luke.” No, it hadn't been. “Are you seeing someone else?”

“No,” Luke said, before being forced to add, “not yet. There is someone I'm interested in, but Noah, that's not why I'm breaking up with you-”

“It's Dr Oliver, isn't it?”

Casey's wide eyes stared at him. Reid just shrugged.

“I...” Luke gave in. “How did you know?”

“You think that just because I'm blind I'm suddenly stupid, too?” Noah demanded. “I could hear something, in both your voices, when you talked about each other. How you started using each other's first names. I knew things were...different. All because of that stupid kidnapping! It... _changed_ you.”

“Strangely enough, Noah,” Luke said darkly, “lying there knowing I was slowly dying _did_ change me. Made me re-evaluate what's really important in my life. You know,” he continued, “not once have you asked me what it was like, knowing I was dying. Or asked me how I'm dealing with it. And this guy,” he went on, “this asshole guy that I couldn't stand just talked at me for hours. Days. Even when I couldn't talk back. Because even this guy I thought I hated could be there for me in a way that you've never been.”

“So it's gratitude,” Noah pointed out snottily.

“No, Noah,” Luke replied firmly, and where he had the patience to keep doing this Reid had no freaking clue. “I don't want to be with him out of gratitude – though I'm certainly thankful he exists. But because he reminded me that it's okay, to think about what I want, what I need. That I'm important, too. And as it turns out,” he sounded happy, for a moment, “he's the thing I want.”

Reid felt pretty smug right then, he wasn't about to deny it. Casey even leaned in to whisper, “If we were bros, I'd be fist-bumping you right now.”

Fortunately they weren't. “I thought you were Noah's friend.”

“'Course I am,” he insisted, “but apparently he's not been good for Luke and...Luke was my amigo first, you know?”

Not really, but okay. Reid tuned back in to what was happening in the kitchen.

“-you kidding me?” Noah asked passionately. “I can barely stand to be near you, I can't even think about being friends. Just...stay away from me. And tell Dr Oliver to stay away from me, too.”

He burst out of the kitchen, then, and Casey immediately jumped up, helping to guide him out of the house, making a point to avoid Reid entirely. It was left unsaid that it was best for all parties involved that Noah never had any clue that he'd been there.

Reid waited until the car had driven away before pushing open the screen door. Luke was sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. Immediately wanting to make him feel better, Reid headed towards him, but when Luke heard the door snap shut, he turned and saw Reid coming.

He had tears in his eyes, and winced when he saw who it was.

“You heard all that, huh?” he asked, wiping a hand across his face.

Reid gestured behind him. “In my defense, I tried to leave, but Casey wouldn't let me.”

Chuckling briefly, Luke lowered his head. “Sounds like him.” Letting out a long breath, he relaxed his shoulders and looked back up at Reid. “I know it needed doing, I just wanted to wait until I felt stronger. I knew it wouldn't...go well.”

“Sounded plenty strong enough to me,” Reid said truthfully, bending down at the knees and reaching out a hand to cup the back of Luke's neck. “What do you need?”

“Just you,” he said with a watery smile. “Keep me company on the sofa?”

Reid nodded.

*

It was another first for Reid. He'd watched TV with guys he was interested in, sometimes because they were both just there, sometimes as a prelude to sex. This time, however, Luke was pressed right up against him, with Reid's arm along the back of the sofa. It could even have been called 'snuggling', if Reid was ever going to use that word.

Which he wasn't.

Luke clearly didn't want to talk about it so Reid just sat there watching mediocre television, but with Luke's warm body pressed up against his, it wasn't like it was a hardship.

Lily emerged from somewhere, eventually, peering out from the kitchen as she waved, trying to get Reid's attention.

“I'm being summoned,” he said into Luke's hair. “You okay?”

“Mmm,” was Luke's response, who wiggled against him for a moment but then leaned away, focus still on the television.

Extracting his arm, Reid stood up and walked over towards Lily, who by now was hanging out in the kitchen.

“How did it go?” she asked quietly when he was close enough. “Did he..?”

“He ended things,” Reid confirmed, “permanently.”

“Okay,” she nodded to herself. “Poor Noah,” she added, a sentiment Reid couldn't share, his face showing as much. Lily saw it. “Oh, I know,” she explained, “Luke made it very clear lately that they weren't right for each other, and even though I've been shocked to hear some of things Noah said and did, part of me will always see him as a lost, young man. He didn't really have anyone, until Luke.”

Disturbingly, Reid realised that was something he and Noah had in common. “But that's the whole point. All he had was Luke – and he still treated him like crap.”

Lily didn't seem to like the way he phrased the point, but had to agree with it. “How's he coping?”

“Distracting himself, for now,” Reid said, turning to look towards the family room. Luke's eyes had been dry for a while now, at least.

“And you?”

Frowning, he turned back to look at her. “What about me?”

“How are you doing with...” she gestured in Luke's direction, “...all this?”

“It's nothing to do with me.” She fixed him with a look. “I'm serious, Ms Snyder, this was between Luke and Noah-”

“Of course it was, but you can't tell me you weren't hoping for this outcome.”

Obviously. “Wasn't just hope – I knew it was a certainty,” he said boldly. “But if you're asking me if I'm happy?” he asked rhetorically. “I'm happy that Luke's no longer shackled to a man who undervalued and underappreciated him, who never gave him the support he needed. But am I happy that Luke's miserable right now?” He made a face at her. “Of course not.”

Studying him closely for a while, she eventually nodded. “Okay. Why don't you go keep him company and I'll whip up some food.”

Reid wasn't about to say no to food. “No bread, Ms Snyder,” he requested, “anything else is good.” After she nodded in agreement, Reid started making his way back to Luke.

“Reid,” she said, making him turn to look at her. “My first name is Lily,” she encouraged with a smile, “maybe you should start using it.”

*

The next morning, Reid had to have that awkward talk with Bob. He was going to hear the news sooner or later, and he'd rather it came from him.

Bob wasn't in his office when Reid sought him out but he was nearby, and after Reid explained that they needed to speak privately, he invited him inside.

Bob gestured for Reid to take a seat as he sat in his own. “I understand that Luke's continuing to progress well.”

“He is,” Reid confirmed. He was much more sure on his feet already, walking longer distances all the time. All being well, he'd also be coming off the dialysis any day now.

“I'm pleased to hear it,” Bob said, but seemed to be eyeing Reid curiously. “And how are you doing? With your...issues?”

Much to Reid's relief, Bob had mostly been leaving him to his own devices following their first chat on the matter. “There's some definite improvement,” he confessed. “Not back to my old self completely, but...there's progress.”

“Good,” he nodded, “though I might suggest that you don't return to your old self entirely,” he joked, eyes practically twinkling. Reid would bet hard cash that when Christmas inevitably rolled around, Bob did an excellent Saint Nick. “On a serious note,” Bob continued, “I really am very glad to hear you're doing better. Because the issue involved Luke, I was concerned that staying close to him would make things...harder for you.” He made a sombre face, for a second. “I'm glad to see that's not the case. Now,” he spread his hands, “what did you want to talk about?”

Reid knew it wasn't going to be fun but there was no way to get around it, so he explained the situation as quickly and succinctly as possible.

After hearing everything, Bob sat back in his chair with a sigh. “I suspected this might be coming.”

Reid studied his face. “You don't seem especially...angry.”

“While I'm not thrilled at this turn of events, no one's actually done anything wrong.”

“I thought you wouldn't be impressed with me, to be honest,” Reid admitted.

Bob tipped his head to one side. “Reid, there are many reasons I could have not to be impressed with you.” That was reassuring. “You technically haven't broken any rules or gone against hospital policy, so from a managerial standpoint there are no real concerns. It's also a reminder,” he added, “that you're not so special after all.”

He didn't appreciate that little comment. “What the heck does that mean?”

“You're just like the rest of us, Reid,” Bob told him. “We can't help who we have feelings for. Sometimes, we just have to follow our hearts.” Even as Reid scowled at the sentimentality, Bob pressed on. “So, you really think assigning another doctor to Noah's case is necessary?”

“At least in the short term,” he confirmed, happy to move on. “I'll still consult on his case, of course, make recommendations to his doctor as I see fit. Hopefully Noah will move on, at some point, but if he refuses to let me operate on him...I don't know what we'll do.” Reid was still the only surgeon who really had a shot at succeeding, and they both knew it.

“If that becomes the case,” Bob said, “then it'll be down to Noah to realise that his medical care needs to come before his pride.”

Right at that moment, Reid wouldn't bet on it.

“You know,” Bob continued, too-casually, “this has brought something else to mind.”

“Do tell,” Reid replied too-brightly. This clearly wasn't a spur of the moment thought.

“Well, you made it abundantly clear, many times, that as soon as Noah's treatment was complete, you'd be returning to Dallas.”

Couldn't deny it. “I did say that.”

“That you did,” Bob nodded. “But now with this news about you and Luke...I was just wondering if you'd reconsidered that decision. And if you might want to make your role here a more...permanent position.”

*

The evening before Luke's last dialysis treatment, Reid stepped into the Snyder farmhouse a little before 7 o'clock. Luke was sitting at the kitchen table with his much younger brother and they seemed to be making something out of Lego. A distractingly delicious smell was coming from the oven.

“Hey,” Luke grinned at him briefly when Reid sat at his other side, having heard him coming. He faced his brother again. “You remember Reid, right?”

“Reid,” Ethan mimicked, nodding with wide eyes. “He's a doctor.”

“That I am,” Reid confirmed, “and you're an Ethan.”

“I am!” he agreed, sounding shocked. “Can I show you my action figures?”

“Uh...” he shrugged at Luke, who just smirked. “Sure,” he finally told Ethan. “Why not?”

Ethan looked at Luke for permission first, who just nodded and reminded, “No running on the stairs.”

Slipping from his chair, Ethan crossed the kitchen, carefully opened the door that led upstairs, and disappeared from view.

“He'll probably be a while,” Luke told him. “He always gets distracted when he takes his action figures out.”

“Most of them are probably strong, muscly guys, right?” Reid asked rhetorically. “I'd get distracted too.”

Laughing quietly at him, Luke started pulling apart the Lego pieces. “Makes it easier, next time,” he explained when he saw Reid watching.

Reid joined in, helping out, when he noticed Luke kept shooting him looks. “What?”

“We never talked about...” Luke gestured towards the route Ethan had taken. “Are you okay? With kids? If we're giving dating a go, they'll probably be around a lot. We're kind of a package deal.” He smiled, like he was joking around, but there was a hesitancy to it.

“Sure.” Reid shrugged. “They're no more irritating than most adults I know. And they grow up, right?”

“Yeah,” Luke said, smile turning genuine, “I'm pretty sure that's how that puberty thing works.”

“Then it's not an issue for me,” he said honestly. He'd already accepted the fact that being with Luke meant being around kids, and Ethan was the only one who was really young, anyway.

Pleased, Luke leant towards him until their shoulders brushed, then between them they finished pulling the Lego apart and carefully stowed the pieces safely away inside their box. Luke bent and stuck his head under the table, making sure there were no stragglers. “I swear, stepping on one of those things is a special kind of agony.”

“Always wear shoes in the house,” Reid recommended.

With everything away, and the box returned to the bottom shelf of a unit in the family room, Luke returned and slumped down in his seat. “I'm really nervous about tomorrow,” he confessed.

Frowning, Reid inched closer to him. “You've been through this procedure a bunch of times. There's nothing different about tomorrow.”

“Except that it's my last one,” Luke pointed out. “And then it'll just be...me and my crappy kidney.” He gestured towards his own body, clearly full of frustration.

“You don't think it's going to hold out,” Reid said as he realised.

“It's a miracle it's survived this far,” Luke said, “Dr Phillips told me as much herself.”

Reid couldn't argue with that. However... “And she also told you that it's healthy enough to do the job on its own, now. You got the treatment you needed, now you need to move on. Dr Phillips is damn good at her job. You need to trust her judgement.”

Lowering his head, Luke shrugged. “I know you wouldn't lie to me about it. It's just...I still remember what it was like, how it felt, knowing my kidney was dying – that I was dying. In my head, I still can't quite believe that it won't be that way again.”

Reid's chest felt all _weird_ inside and before he could stop himself, he pulled Luke in close.

“You're hugging me?” Luke said, even as he hugged back. “Voluntarily?”

“Hey, I've done this with Katie too, “ Reid told him, “you're not special.” He could feel Luke's quiet laugh gusting across his neck. “Getting stressed about this isn't going to do you, or your kidney, any good,” he said seriously. “Trust in the experts, okay? That's what we're here for.” Pulling back, he looked Luke in the eye, touching the side of his face. “This is a good thing. It should be celebrated – not feared. In fact...” Reid had just the thing. He'd been planning to wait a while longer, just to be on the safe side, but he honestly thought he was ready. “I think I should reward you for this amazing accomplishment.”

“Of not dying?” Luke joked. “What's my reward?”

“A date,” he announced, “with me. If it's not too soon after...”

Smiling, appreciating the offer, Luke reached for Reid's hand, tugging it down from his face but still holding on. “I thought about that, you know.” At Reid's searching look, he continued. “I was so eager to start something with you I even surprised myself. You're right, what you said before,” he added, “that I'm not made to be in a casual relationship, and it all seemed so soon after Noah. But I talked things through with Dad,” he explained, “and we realised that with the way things had been going – everything with Mason, the accident, the time afterwards – Noah and I hadn't really been in a relationship for months. Sure, we'd been playing the part,” he nodded. “But we lived together and barely saw each other at home. Rarely had sex. Called each other boyfriends but never did anything to really prove it, you know?” He glanced back at Reid, who just kept observing and listening without judgement. “Dad also said sometimes you just know that it's right, even if it is sudden. That you should trust it. Even if nobody else does.” He looked Reid in the eye. “You can look at someone and your instincts just...know.”

Reid held his gaze. “And what are your instincts saying?”

That was the moment, of course, that Ethan finally tumbled back into the room, hands grasping an impressive number of action figures.

“Stuff that's really not appropriate for this audience,” Luke said wryly, before facing his brother. “Hey, bud. Which one's do you wanna show off today?”

As Reid got introduced to what were, clearly, the best action figures ever, he mused that he was a little surprised that Ethan had taken to him so well. Then again, Ethan was the youngest, and Reid had found they were often the best at coping with change. Natalie still clearly didn't know what to do with him, being very fond of Noah, and Faith was just...Faith. She hated everyone and everything, and Reid was just another name to add to the list.

After some ten, fifteen minutes of keeping Ethan amused, Luke glanced at the clock on the wall. “It'll be time for dinner, soon,” he told Ethan. “Go put those away and wash up, okay?”

“Okay,” Ethan said, somehow managing to carry all his toys and hustle up the stairs at the same time.

“He's a cute kid,” Reid said, following Luke over to the oven, where he was checking whatever was inside. “What're we having?” he asked, peering over Luke's shoulder.

Shutting the oven door, Luke snapped at Reid with a dish cloth. “Hands off,” he warned, “until it's served.”

“For once, it wasn't the food I wanted to get my hands on,” he answered, waggling his eyebrows as Luke rolled his eyes at him fondly.

“And it's lasagne,” he finally said.

“Made by you?”

“I may not be Grandma Emma,” he announced, “but I can whip up a few things. You mind setting the table?”

In response, Reid simply set about completing the task. He'd eaten there enough times now that he knew where just about everything was. “Just us?”

“And Ethan,” Luke nodded.

It'd become clear pretty rapidly that, despite Reid's expectations, the Snyder family didn't eat as a whole family every day – only on special occasions or if Emma demanded it. It made sense, really – there was always something going on. It was also gratifying to see Luke moving almost normally. Walking around the room with little effort, bending to open the oven with barely a pause.

He really was getting better. Now he just needed to start believing it himself.

Dinner ended up being delicious, and Reid didn't even have to lie about it. “Thank God you can cook,” he said afterwards, placing his knife and fork down on his plate.

“So you won't have to?” Luke tried to guess, frowning as he took a sip of water.

“I'm not a caveman,” he said, insulted. “No, so I don't have to lie and say it was good when it clearly wasn't.”

Luke swallowed his drink with a comical expression. “When have you ever lied to spare someone's feelings?”

“Not often, I admit,” he conceded. “It's one of those things my dad always drilled into me when I was a kid, I guess. If someone makes you a meal, even if it's disgusting, you paste on a smile and say thank you very much.”

Smiling gently, Luke looked at him. “You don't talk about him much. Either of them.”

“Not something I like talking about,” he shrugged, glancing away.

“Well, if you ever want to...” was all Luke said, leaving it there as his hand covered Reid's briefly. “Right,” he announced, picking up his plate as he stood, “it's time for clean-up duty.”

The three of them dealt with the dishes together – Reid washed, Ethan had the very big responsibility of drying, and Luke put the dishes away. Unlike Ethan, he could actually reach everything.

Later, when some cartoon was playing on the TV, Luke quietly spoke next to him on the sofa. “So where do you want to go? For our date,” he explained, when Reid didn't get it straight away.

He honestly didn't know what was best. “You know all the best places in town – of which there are probably about two.” Luke elbowed him, but it was playful and they both ended up grinning at each other. “Where would you like to go?”

Luke thought about it. “Honestly, I think I'd just like to go to Al's.”

“Not some place fancier?” Reid asked, a little surprised. “Some place...'special'?”

“Nah, I'm so used to eating there that I think eating at Al's will take some of the pressure off and...” He looked at Reid, holding his gaze. “Knowing I'm there, with you. On a date.” He reached for Reid's hand again, squeezing it. “Will make it plenty special enough.”

Even Reid couldn't argue with that.

*

Luke's last dialysis appointment went as expected. Reid couldn't be there at the time and couldn't see him after work, either, due to an emergency surgery. They did manage to talk about it on the phone, but the next time he got to see Luke at all was the night of their date.

Luke had been given the all-clear to drive – something he was very happy about – so was making his way into town himself. As he walked into Al's, Reid spotted Luke immediately. He was standing at the counter, talking to Hank. The clothes he was wearing were nothing new – suit pants and a button-down shirt, he'd dressed up a little – but he still looked damn good in them anyway.

Hank saw him first. “Ah,” he said loudly to Luke, regarding Reid disdainfully, “and there he is.”

Swivelling around quickly, Luke grinned as he leaned towards him. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Reid smiled back, unable to stop himself, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Luke was just telling me all about your little...thing,” Hank told him, waggling his fingers towards them. “Katie hasn't been giving much away,” he continued, a statement that Reid found incredibly surprising – but also one that he appreciated. “But I have to say I'm feeling quite happy with myself.” When they both frowned at him, he explained. “The two of you! Together! I totally saw it coming.”

Hardly. “You thought we'd run away together when in fact we'd been kidnapped,” Reid pointed out. “Really not saying much for your foresight. And weren't you convinced for weeks that I was trying to bang Katie?” Reid had definitely enjoyed tormenting the guy, making him believe that he was actually interested.

“That's not the point,” Hank sniffed. “And you did end up together eventually, so at least I got something right.”

Whatever. “How about you save the dramatics and just show us to our table?”

Thankfully, a few minutes later, they were seated with drinks and Hank had even promised to leave them alone, insisting that someone else would be serving them.

“That guy,” Reid muttered, shaking his head as Henry scurried away.

“I like the way he gets to you,” Luke grinned, because he was evil.

Reid just stared back at him intently. “I prefer the way you get to me.” Luke's face was a picture as he lowered his head, glancing back across at Reid flirtatiously. But, they were here to eat, so Reid reigned it in. “Good day?”

“Yeah,” Luke said happily. “I really enjoyed getting to drive again,” he admitted. “Being able to do something like that completely independently, without needing someone to watch over me...” He nodded to himself. “Makes me feel like maybe things will be okay, you know? That I'll be okay.”

“Because you will be,” Reid said with certainty, pleased Luke was starting to feel that way. If it made Luke feel better about himself and the progress he'd made, then as far as Reid was concerned he should be driving as much as possible.

“Thanks,” he replied with a warm smile. “How was your day?”

From there, the conversation flowed easily and comfortably. He was so used to talking to Luke at this point that he never had to think about what topic to discuss next – it just happened by itself. Luke seemed pretty relaxed too, looking like he was enjoying himself if his constant smile was any indication. It probably helped that they'd both made it clear that they already liked each other, so neither one of them was trying too hard to impress the other – they could just enjoy each other's company.

Luke ordered a burger and fries, admitting that he loved Al's burgers. Reid hadn't tried the burgers there yet and probably would've been tempted himself, but didn't want to risk any bread-related incidents in public. He went for a pasta dish instead, which turned out to be surprisingly good for a place that didn't specialise in Italian food.

Not that he was ever telling Hank that.

They both ended up sharing – or re-sharing – some stories from their past, some of them funny, some of them not so much. While Luke remembered a lot of the things Reid had told him in that prison cell, some of it he'd just been too ill or too exhausted to take in.

They ended up having dessert, and then coffee and then Henry 'politely' reminded them he needed to close up by clearing his throat loudly and slamming their bill down on the table.

“Oh my God, is that the time?” Luke asked, after he'd pulled out his phone to check.

Reid glanced at his own phone and – wow, yeah. They'd talked all the way up to closing time.

They argued over who would pay the bill but Reid won in the end by logically pointing out that as he'd been the one to invite Luke, he should be the one to pay. Luke gave in, but insisted that he was paying next time.

Hank just seemed happy to get them the hell out of there.

Reid lived well within walking distance of Al's, so could easily see Luke to his car.

“Thanks for walking me to my car,” Luke said as they drew near, “but you didn't need to. I can walk most distances by myself now.”

“Oh, I know you're more than capable,” Reid agreed casually, “I just wanted to walk behind you so I could enjoy the view.”

“You...” Luke began on a laugh, clearly feeling like Reid was being inappropriate, but enjoying the attention too much to actually do anything about it. Unlocking his car, Luke just turned to face him on the sidewalk instead. “Thanks. For tonight. I had a good time.”

“I did, too,” Reid said truthfully. For what had been what he considered his first 'traditional' date, it'd been a lot more fun that he'd expected. “Even Hank being there couldn't ruin it.”

“Praise indeed,” he grinned, putting his keys back in his pocket before leaning back against his car, hands reaching for Reid's jacket, tugging him close. Reid very much liked where this was going. “You gonna kiss me?” Luke asked.

By now they were both staring at each other's lips. “Thinking about it.”

“You should probably stop thinking,” Luke teased, and then they both leaned forward to meet each other.

It was pretty damn good, especially for a first kiss. It was languid, but not passionless, and Reid even found himself shivering, for a moment, when Luke's hand moved to the base of Reid's skull, nails lightly dragging across the faint layer of hair there.

Reid had been about to bring the kiss to a close – it was late, so they likely didn't have much of an audience, but he didn't know how Luke felt about this kind of PDA yet – but Luke clearly had a better idea, grabbing Reid and turning them until he was the one pushed up against the car. Reid wasn't an idiot, going with the flow as the kiss quickly escalated to beyond what was normally permitted in public. Luke kissed him desperately, deeply and, much as Reid was enjoying it, he realised with a start that Luke was _hard_ and this probably shouldn't happen in the middle of Old Town.

“Hey, hey,” he said gently when he pulled away from the kiss, hands coming up to cup Luke's face. “Slow it down, Flash,” he added, teasing kindly.

Breathing heavily, Luke just blinked dumbly for a few minutes, his face a picture of surprise. “I, uh...sorry,” he managed eventually, before glancing down where their bodies were touching and quickly stepping away.

“Really don't need to apologise,” Reid promised.

Face flushed, Luke glanced around to make sure no one else was aware of his predicament. Fortunately, Reid had been right and there was no one nearby. “Um, I've...” Luke was having a difficult time looking Reid in the eye. “I didn't think it would be that good.”

“Our kiss?”

Nodding silently, he scratched awkwardly behind his ear. “Not that I thought it would be bad, or anything. I always enjoyed kissing before, obviously, but...”

Reid was very interested indeed in whatever Luke was about to say. “But?”

Finally he just blurted it out. “It wasn't like _that_ with Noah. And...” he gestured down, “...that's the first time _that's_ happened since we got taken. I was kind of worried it wouldn't, to be honest.”

He was right to be interested. Luke was clearly still embarrassed and a little shaken, though, so Reid puffed out his chest and looked more than a little proud. “Yep,” he drawled, clasping either side of his lapel smugly. “Feeling pretty smug about myself right now.”

Luke had realised what he was up to and decided to play along. “I don't know,” he began, sounding deliberately thoughtful, “does it really top having a guy who gets paid to sleep with people for a living having sex with you for free?”

“You know, you make a good point,” Reid allowed. “It's a tough call, but you might just edge him out.” He watched Luke's face for a while, the mixture of amusement and embarrassment. “It's a good thing,” he said eventually, turning serious. “Not something to be embarrassed about.”

Frowning, it took Luke a few moments to realise Reid's thinking and when he got it, he started looking a little less humiliated by the whole thing. “It means my body really is getting better.”

Pleased he'd reached the same conclusion, Reid nodded. “First you're driving, then your sex drive comes back – next thing you know, you'll be climbing Kilimanjaro.”

Shaking his head, Luke started looking more comfortable, especially as there was no longer a tent in the front of his pants. “Sorry I was such a freak about it.”

“'Freak'?” Reid questioned, screwing his face up. “There are many things that are freaky about this town and you are definitely not one of them.”

“It's just...” Pausing, Luke looked around again, making sure they were alone. “You're probably going to think this is really dumb.”

That remained to be seen. “Well, tell me what it is, and you know you'll get an honest opinion – though, as usual, you're probably selling yourself short.”

Moving closer, Luke lowered his voice. “I never really thought, before, that the physical side of relationship could be that good. And that was just a kiss!”

Wait, wait, wait a minute. While it was true that Reid really hadn't wanted to think about what Luke and Noah's sex life had been like, maybe he should've been. “What was it like with Noah?”

“Fine,” Luke said, then apparently felt the urge to make it sound more exciting, “better than fine. It was nice, even.”

Oh, for crying out loud. “Nice?”

Luke made a face that showed he knew how it sounded. “Look, I enjoyed it but that was my only experience, you know? I had nothing else to go on – and no, Brian doesn't count. When people went on about sex being this amazing thing I just assumed it was over-exaggeration, or people watching too much badly-acted porn instead of doing it themselves and thinking that's what it's really like.”

Reid's couldn't let it go. “Nice, though? That's it,” he said dramatically, gesturing to the car door, “I can't let this stand – get in the back seat of this car right now, I'll show you 'nice'.”

“Reid,” Luke said fondly, “I know you're joking.”

“Yeah, but not really,” he replied, because there was some truth to it. “Look, this is based only on my experience, okay?” Luke nodded, so he continued. “You're right, sex isn't always amazing, especially the first few times you're doing it. And it should always be 'nice' in the sense that you should be making sure that everyone's having a good time, but...” He waved a hand towards Luke. “For someone who's healthy, cares about their partner, has a sex drive, and is interested in having sex, it shouldn't be _nice_. Sure, it won't be perfect but it should be fun, passionate and thoroughly enjoyable for all parties involved. At least,” he finished explaining, “that's the way I see it.”

Luke stared back at him seriously. “I like the way you see it. And that kiss made me think it could be that way, but...” He finally let the fear out. “What if it was just 'nice' before because of me?”

There was absolutely no way. Reid grabbed him by the upper arms. “Listen up, Mr Snyder – that is just not possible. Maybe it was an issue with Noah, maybe it was an issue with you and Noah together,” he said, conceding that much, “but there is no way in hell that it's all on you.”

“How'd you know that?” he asked, voice worried.

“You remember that kiss just now, right?” Reid pointed out, which made him brighten up a little. “That wasn't one-sided. Look, if we eventually have sex-”

“When,” Luke interrupted, looking shy but certain.

“When,” Reid corrected. He was no fool. “I'm not going to judge you. I'm not going to make fun of you – anymore than I do already,” he admitted. “But I do expect you to be honest with me. If you like something, make it clear. If you don't like what I'm doing, tell me. Honestly,” he shrugged, “as long as you're both being clear with each other you can't really go wrong when it comes to sex.”

Luke stood there, thinking it all over. “That makes a lot of sense. Noah wasn't big on talking when we were...”

There was a shocker. “Colour me surprised,” Reid remarked, letting go of Luke's arms. “So he was just as supportive of you under the sheets as he was everywhere else.”

Tipping his head to one side, silently agreeing, Luke spoke again. “Well. That was some way to end a date.”

“Definitely memorable,” he agreed, “but in a good way.”

“Thank you,” Luke said, tone serious, “for being so patient with me.”

“I could say the same,” Reid replied honestly, then had to explain himself further when Luke clearly thought he was being ridiculous. “I'm serious – most people can't stand me and yet, here you are, wanting to date me and stuff. Must be something in the water.”

“Must be,” he nodded warmly, “because my family are pretty fond of you, too.”

“Yeah, they should probably check out whatever irrigation system you have on the farm-”

“Nah,” Luke interrupted, confidence returning as he hooked his arms over Reid's shoulders, “we're all pretty happy with the way things are right now. I think we'll leave well enough alone.”

“Yeah?” Reid asked, grabbing Luke's sides.

“Yeah,” he said, as their lips met in a brief – and extremely chaste – kiss.

*

A few days later, Reid was over at the farm while Luke was stuck upstairs with Faith, talking her through some issues she apparently had with a boy at school.

Reid had to admit that when it came to dealing with boys being idiots, Luke definitely had the experience. Reid was currently keeping himself occupied by helping himself to the grapes from the bowl of fruit residing in the middle of the kitchen table.

“You know,” Lily started casually, her back to him where she was rinsing off a few dishes in the kitchen. “It's Luke's birthday soon.”

Reid had looked at Luke's chart more than once a day, every single day that he'd been in Memorial. He knew exactly when Luke's birthday was. “I'm aware.”

Placing a glass to one side, Lily then turned to face him. “I just thought, if you wanted some help...” she let the sentence trail off, leaving Reid to fill in the rest himself.

Grape half-way to his mouth, he looked at her, aghast. “You want to take me shopping?”

“Maybe not that, exactly,” she answered, face showing that she'd enjoy the experience about as much as Reid would. “Just wanted to make sure that you had some...ideas.”

Reid lowered his hand. Nice try. “What you want is to make sure I don't turn up to Luke's birthday party empty-handed.”

Caught, she winced. “That, too. Reid,” she tried to explain, walking around the counter, “while I'm nothing but thankful for the way you've been there for Luke, I'm also aware that you've really only been dating for a few days and that kind of sentimentality is...”

“Not my thing?” he concluded. She nodded. She wasn't wrong, of course, but he was still a little offended. “Flattered as I am that you think I can't even manage to pull together a birthday present for the guy I'm dating, there's nothing to worry about. I've got it covered.”

“That's wonderful,” she enthused, surprised. “What is it?”

“You'll find out on the day,” he told her, finally popping the grape into his mouth. “Don't worry,” he continued when he saw the concern on her face. “It's not flowers or a box of chocolates. Give me some credit,” he muttered.

“You're right,” she agreed, looking a little ashamed. “Maybe I don't always...appreciate the way you say things, but your actions have shown, time and again, just how much you care about Luke. I shouldn't have underestimated you.”

Huh. All Reid could possibly do in response to that was pick up the rest of the bunch of grapes and hold them out to her in offering. “Grape?”

*

By the next Tuesday, Reid was feeling very happy indeed. He was now sleeping almost every single night without incident, and he and Luke had enjoyed a couple more dates. One of them had ended up at Reid's place, which had led to a competitive chess match, which had led to some serious making out on the sofa. It'd proven once again, to both of them, that the sex probably was going to be just that good.

Work distracted him inevitably, of course, and he was thoroughly engrossed in his rounds when he received a phone call – from Margo Hughes.

Asking him to come down to the station. Because they thought they had one of the kidnappers in custody.

Reid was, frankly, useless after that. After explaining things to Bob, he was given permission to leave work immediately. He almost called Luke, but – what if Margo was wrong? If it was bringing up all these mixed emotions for Reid it'd have at least the same effect on Luke. No, no he'd go and check things out himself and then, assuming Luke hadn't been contacted already, he'd make the call.

The walk to Oakdale PD didn't take more than a few minutes and as soon as he arrived, Margo showed him into a room. Realising he was on the good side of a two-way mirror, Reid turned and looked at her.

“I'm going to tell you what happened, and then we're going to see if you can identify him, okay?”

Reid had never seen anyone's face, but he'd do what he could. “Okay.”

“We got a hit on one of Luke's credit cards this morning,” she began. “Jack took a team out there and, fortunately, they were able to bring the guy in.” Reid knew she was skimping out on some details, probably on purpose, but right now he just didn't care. “He's denying everything.” That wasn't a surprise. “Claimed that he just found Luke's card lying around.” Of course he had. “He has a record, mostly small-time stuff, nothing violent. There was nothing else on his body that connects him to the kidnapping. In a moment,” Margo continued, “I'll give the signal and five men will walk into the room on the other side of the mirror. They won't be able to see you.” Reid knew how the mirror worked, but she was obviously trying to be reassuring. “I want you to take as much time as you need to see if anything about them seems familiar, that they might be the man you spoke to. I know you never saw his face,” she told him, “and if you can't identify him that's fine – I don't want you putting undue pressure on yourself. Do you understand everything I've said to you, Dr Oliver?”

“Of course I have, I'm not a child,” he insisted, “let's get this over with.”

Apparently agreeing, Margo leaned over and pressed the button on the intercom. “Lead them in, please.”

The lone cop waiting in the other room moved to open the door and, after a brief wait, five men walked in, in a straight line. When the first guy reached the end of the room, they all turned and faced the mirror, spreading out.

Stepping forward, Reid stared intently at every single one of them.

“Take your time, Doctor,” Margo reminded.

He was, but...Reid honestly didn't think it'd do any good. He didn't have a clue which one of them was meant to be the suspect. And even if one of them was one of their kidnappers, there was nothing that said it had to be 'Frank', the guy they'd actually had any interaction with.

Seeing that Reid was getting nowhere, Margo pressed the intercom button again, asking them all to turn to the left, then the right.

The change in profile did nothing to help and, honestly, he thought a couple of them only seemed familiar because he'd happened to see them around town already. Oakdale was hardly a bustling metropolis with a huge population. The only thing he could think of was... “Can you ask them to say something?”

“Something specific?”

He nodded. “'Your family has a lot of money'.”

“That phrase exactly?” she checked, and when he confirmed, she used the intercom again. “When I say your number, please repeat the phrase, 'Your family has a lot of money'. Nod if you understand.” They all understood, though one guy didn't seem very happy about it. “Number one, please.”

Margo took them through it, one-by-one, but the fourth guy had barely stopped speaking when Reid spoke, his body struck by a rush of adrenalin. “That's him, that's the guy.” He was absolutely certain – at this point, he'd know that voice anywhere.

“You're sure?”

“One hundred per cent. Not a single doubt.”

“Good,” she said eventually. “But just to make sure...” Leaning forward, she activated the intercom. “Number five, please.”

Number five did as requested, but Reid already knew he wasn't the guy and hearing his voice only confirmed it.

“Wait there, please,” Margo said into the intercom afterwards, before releasing it and turning back to Reid. “Number four?”

“Number four,” he nodded enthusiastically. “I'd stake my life on it.”

“Hopefully we won't have to go that far,” she remarked. “And you'll be very pleased to hear that Luke chose the same man.”

Wait, that meant... “Luke's here?”

“Waiting in my office,” she said.

Then why the hell was he still standing there? “You need me for anything else right now?”

“No, I-”

Reid was already out of the room, crossing the station to Margo's office. He caught a glimpse of Luke sitting on a chair through the open blinds, Lily and Holden either side of him.

He didn't stop moving even as he opened the door to Margo's office, Luke flying out of the chair across the room to meet him when he saw who it was.

“Reid!” he said, throwing himself into his arms.

“Luke,” he said firmly, closing his eyes as he held tight. “They got him. They got the son of a bitch.” Frank may not have been solely responsible for what Luke had gone through, but he'd been the only 'bad guy' they'd encountered directly, and him being found meant a lot.

“I'm sorry I couldn't call you,” Luke told him, voice muffled against Reid's neck. “But Margo said I couldn't-”

“It's fine, it's fine,” Reid assured him. “We had to verify it was him independently, couldn't risk us influencing each other. She said we picked the same guy anyway.”

“Yeah?” he asked, drawing back to look at him, eyes emotional. “We make a good team.”

“We make a great team,” Reid corrected.

Appreciating the comment for a moment, Luke soon became concerned again. “The really worrying thing is...I know I've seen that guy around town. I'm sure he was in Java when we were there the other day.” Reid was sure of the very same thing. “What if he was watching, waiting, to try again? To get it right this time-”

“Thinking like that is only gonna drive you crazy,” he insisted. “You can't try and figure these people out, the best way to get your revenge is to get on with you life. Anyway,” he had to add, “with Damian being the paranoid asshole that he is, he never would've got past Damian's guys anyway.”

As if summoned just by the sound of his name, the paranoid asshole in question suddenly entered the room.

“Luke!” he gasped, actually pushing Reid out of the way to get to his son.

“Rude.”

Damian ignored him. “I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner,” he apologised, grabbing Luke's arms. “Tell me everything.”

It was quite the little gathering in Margo's office, which thankfully wasn't so tiny that Reid's claustrophobia was manageable. Besides, he was distracted by listening to Luke talk to Damian, then talking quietly with Lily and Holden himself, then playfully bickering with Luke in an attempt to cheer him up.

Neither one of them wanted to leave, not until they had something more, not until they had... _something_.

It was more than an hour later when Margo's office door opened, and Margo herself stepped inside.

Damian was standing next to her almost instantly.

Not backing down, Margo just looking him straight in the eye. “Mr Grimaldi? Some personal space, please?”

He conceded, backing up, though not by much. “Tell me his name.”

Seemed the Grimaldi family really didn't do subtle, either. That explained so much about Luke.

“I think not,” Margo replied, brushing past Damian on the way to her desk. “In fact, I think it's best for all parties involved if, for the time being, his identity remains a secret – at least from you,” she added, fixing her gaze on Damian. “I have no issue telling the rest of you,” she continued, looking at them one by one, “but I must insist that you don't tell Damian. We wouldn't want anything...unfortunate...to happen to the suspect, any known acquaintances or his family members.”

Legally, Reid absolutely understood why. Morally? He kind of just wanted to let Damian find out the guy's name and let him have at it.

He never would, of course. But as the one who'd been there when Luke was dying, he'd be lying if the thought didn't cross his mind.

“For those of you who can remain reasonable about this,” and wow, she really didn't like Damian, “the suspect broke easily after I told him he'd been identified. Rolled on the rest of his crew pretty fast. He's still in the process of writing his statement, including when and where we can find the rest of them.”

“'Crew'?” Lily asked.

“A group of three men, one woman,” Margo explained. “Con artists, mostly, who've been running small-time jobs across Illinois. Seems they had a new member lately who persuaded them to step up to kidnapping.” Could explain why they'd done such a bad job of it.

Holden spoke. “Anyone we'd know?”

“The names he's mentioned so far aren't familiar to me, but we're running them through the system just in case. It's entirely possible they're fake, anyway.”

That was very likely, Reid realised, with them being con artists.

“Did he say why they just left us there?” Luke queried.

“From what the suspect said, as soon as they found out about Damian,” she glanced across at him, “they just decided to cut their losses and run.”

Damian was definitely preening.

“But they stayed in town,” Lily observed, “or at least he did.”

“And why'd he use Luke's credit card?” Holden asked next. “Surely he knew it was a risky move.”

“Holden,” Margo shook her head, “you'd be amazed at the stupidity of some of the people we've brought through here.”

“I wouldn't,” Reid remarked. He had to deal with idiots every day.

“Anyway,” she continued, “that's about all I can tell you for now. The investigation's still on-going, so I can't really tell you much more.”

“We understand, Margo,” Lily nodded.

She wore a tight smile. “As soon as his statement's complete, we'll head out and see if we can't bring the rest of them in and get this whole thing settled, once and for all.”

“You think he's trustworthy?” Reid scoffed.

“I think he'd rather save his own hide and cut some kind of deal instead of getting dragged down with everyone else.”

Luke frowned at her. “But...he'll go to prison, right?”

“Based on what I know of the DA...he'll do some time,” she replied, crossing her arms. “Might not be as much as we want, or could be in better conditions than he expected. But he will go to prison.”

Reid didn't like the idea of Frank getting any kind of reduced sentence or special treatment just because he'd turned on his 'friends', and Margo could clearly see as much.

“I know, Dr Oliver,” she agreed, “but in this job, sometimes we just have to do what it takes to get the conviction.”

They all looked around at each other grimly, until Holden spoke up. “I think we all need to remember that a good thing happened today. We may not have everything we want, yet, but – it's a start.”

It was a little cheesy, maybe, but he had a point.

“You're right, Dad,” Luke said, agreeing with both of them. “And I'm so grateful you could all be here with me.” He looked around, smiling at everyone, until finally taking Reid's hand.

Okay, now it was _really_ cheesy.

But Reid sure as hell wasn't about to take his hand back.

*

A little after 11pm that same night, Reid couldn't get a wink of sleep. He wasn't seeing Luke dying or dead – thank God, he'd half-expected to – but his brain just wouldn't shut down. They'd heard from Margo again already, who'd let them know that after following up on the information Frank had given them, two of his accomplices had also been brought in. The last one – the woman – hadn't been found and was likely on the run at this point.

It was nearly all over, finally – but it also wasn't. Before they'd left the station Margo had made it clear that if any of them plead not-guilty, they had to prepare themselves of the possibility of being asked to testify.

He couldn't imagine putting Luke through that. He couldn't imagine how he'd be able to describe what it was like, slowly watching Luke die. He knew they'd do it – both of them – but there was a good chance it'd pull everything out in the open again, when they were just starting to get back on track.

Some ten minutes later, his phone went off. When he saw Luke's name, he answered quickly.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing,” Luke assured him, “except that I can't sleep. Sorry about the time.” He barely hesitated. “Can I spend the night at your-?”

“Yes,” he interrupted immediately. “I'll be waiting, text me when you're outside and I'll let you in.” They had to think about Katie and the kid, after all.

“On my way,” Luke said urgently and hung up.

He made it to Reid's place in a little under fifteen minutes – no traffic this time of night – and when Reid opened the door Luke didn't hesitate, throwing his arms around him to hug him again.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

“Nothing to thank me for,” Reid said, because he had a feeling Luke sleeping over was going to end up doing them both a favour. When they pulled away from each other, he saw that his bodyguard was still there, as usual, but then noticed another guy behind Luke – not one of Reid's usual guys.

“Damian insisted,” Luke explained when he noticed Reid looking, before addressing the guy himself. “Thanks, Steve.”

“Not a problem, Mr Snyder. Have a good night. Michael and I will be here if you need anything.”

Of course Luke was nice to his goon bodyguard. Although, though they were probably safer now than they'd been the whole time, he appreciated the extra protection after the day they'd had.

God only knew what his neighbours thought about any of it.

It wasn't long before he'd shown Luke into his room – he'd known, without asking, that they'd be sharing a bed – and Luke put the overnight bag he was carrying down. “I'd already put my meds and stuff together when I called because I knew-”

“I'd say yes?” Reid asked as they shared a small smile of acknowledgement. “I'll give you some privacy to get changed.” Reid was already in his pajamas himself – having changed out of his usual just-boxers, he knew there was going to be no sex tonight, but wanted to make that clear – and after a few minutes Luke let him know he was done.

Turning off the overhead light, Reid sat up in bed with the lamp on as Luke continued to get ready for bed. It was nice, he realised, listening to Luke quietly move around the apartment. Even though it was stuff as banal as Luke using the toilet and washing his hands, or double-checking all the lights were off.

He liked Luke being there.

When it came time to finally get into bed, Luke didn't appear shy at all, simply climbing in next to Reid like he did it all the time. Leaving the lamp on for now, Reid adjusted his pillow, moving until he was laying down. Eventually, they were just lying in bed looking at each other.

“This is the way it always should have been,” Luke said, because he was a sap.

“What should?”

“Us, sleeping together,” he explained, reaching a hand out to fiddle with a button on the front of Reid's pajamas. “It shouldn't have happened in that...place, first. It should've always been here. In your bed.”

Reid covered his hand, stilling the fiddling. “Or yours,” he offered. He was an equal-opportunity kind of guy.

Luke regarded him with a tired smile. “You know I think I dreamt about this? Back then, in the cell. Obviously it was because of what we were going through, but in the dream it wasn't like that at all.” He didn't look away. “You were there because you wanted to be.”

He liked the idea that even his dream-self could make Luke feel a little better. “Who knows? This is Oakdale. Maybe you had a vision of the future,” he said in a spooky voice at the same times as he released Luke's hand, waggling his fingers around in an attempt to make it seem mysterious.

Smiling some more, Luke shook his head in faint disbelief before adjusting the way he was laying, both hands moving to rest beneath his head. “I feel responsible,” he said as the smile faded, and Reid knew they were finally coming to the crux of the matter. “If I hadn't threatened them, told them about Damian-”

“We talked about this before,” Reid reminded him. “It's not your fault. The only people whose fault it is are the idiots who took us in the first place. It's their fault for being such crappy kidnappers, okay?” Luke scoffed at him. “I'm serious,” Reid insisted. “If they'd done their damn job properly, we never would've been just left there to die. They had no back up plan, didn't do their research properly. Honestly, they're only getting one star from me on HotelReviews.com, and that's only because we actually had mattresses.”

Luke managed another brief look of amusement before speaking. “I love that you want to make me feel better, that you always want me to believe in myself,” he said quietly. “But I almost died. And you would've died if Damian hadn't found us. When I think of how much you mean to me now, I can't bear the idea-”

“You can't blame yourself,” Reid ordered, reaching out to cup the back of Luke's neck. “I don't. Nobody else does. You didn't kidnap yourself. And if you continue to insist that it's all your fault, when then I'd just have to say thank you.”

“Thank you?” Luke asked, frowning. “Why on Earth would you wanna thank me for making our kidnapping even worse?”

“Because eventually, something good came out of it,” Reid admitted. He'd thought, once, that there was no upside, that there never could be. That opinion had changed – a least a little. “What you went through was...horrific,” he said honestly, for once letting the truth of how much it'd affected him come out in his voice.

Looking at him emotionally, Luke touched his chest.

“I wish it'd never happened,” Reid continued, “I really do. But it did,” he announced matter-of-factly, finally drawing his hand back, “and we can't change it. And in the end, it did help bring us closer together.” He shrugged. “I'm not saying it's the reason we got together, but you can't deny it changed things between us.”

Luke thought over his words. “You think we would've got here someday anyway?”

“No way to know,” he replied. Though, sappy as it was, he liked the idea that they would've found their way to each other eventually, regardless. “It was...an extraordinary circumstance.” He'd certainly had enough reason to dislike Luke initially. “And you were a huge pain in my ass.”

“Yeah, well you were an enormous jerk,” Luke replied easily, “so maybe we were well-suited to each other all along.”

“Two assholes in relationship together?” he asked. “Sounds like a recipe for disaster.”

“I dunno,” Luke theorised, “I think we're just stubborn enough to make it.”

They looked at each other for a while, sharing the faint amusement.

“You need to stop blaming yourself,” Reid said seriously, “or you'll be dragging this around forever.”

“I know,” he sighed. “I'll keep working on it.”

Realising that was all he could ask for right now, Reid leaned across and gave him a peck on the lips. “Get some rest. We're looking after that kidney, remember?”

“Believe me,” Luke breathed out, snuggling up to him, “I know.”

*

Reid woke in the middle of the night, gasping, but almost immediately could see Luke sleeping soundly next to him.

He was fine, Luke was fine, and Reid literally had the physical proof right in front of him. As much progress as he'd made, he'd known there were bound to be setbacks and this, apparently, was one of them.

Settling in next to Luke, he pulled him in close – Luke only stirred, muttering in his sleep – and then forced the tension out of his body, closing his eyes.

Luke was alive.


	5. Chapter 5

It was honestly kind of a let down, in end. There was no great drama, no final confrontation with the bad guy – or woman, in this case. A couple of days later they finally got the call – the last member of Frank's little gang had been caught, trying to board a Greyhound out of Illinois.

All of them, except Frank, were pleading not-guilty but Margo had said that his testimony in person was so compelling that he and Luke might not need to testify, as she'd originally thought. Either way, that was months away yet.

“I don't know how I feel about it, to be honest,” Luke confessed. The two of them were out in the barn, hanging out with Daisy again. “Happy, I guess,” he concluded, though he didn't sound it as he ran a brush over Daisy's side. “Safer.”

“I think this is one of those situations where it's definitely okay to not be sure about how you feel,” Reid offered. “Though I'll definitely be glad not to be seeing Damian's goons everywhere I go.” They'd undeniably done their job, but they'd also just as undeniably creeped him out. “Anyway,” he continued, “it's not something we need to worry about anymore because we have bigger fish to fry.” Pausing his work, Luke frowned and looked at him. “I happen to know that somebody's birthday is coming up soon.”

Smiling, Luke moved to hang the brush on a nearby hook. “You only know that because I invited you to the party the other day.”

“That's a lie and a falsehood,” he argued, deliberately sounding outraged. Luke knew perfectly well that Reid had already known when his birthday was. “Maybe you don't deserve your present after all...”

Suddenly in front of him, Luke clutched at him dramatically. “Please, Dr Oliver, don't take my birthday present away! I'll do anything to get it, just anything!”

Reid had never been as ridiculously silly with anyone as he had with Luke – and he loved it. “Anything?” he leered deliberately.

Luke gasped, and he was actually pretty good at this acting thing. “Surely you don't mean...a kiss?”

“I'll take a lot more than a kiss,” he growled, pushing Luke up against the wall, and they both broke character, grinning as they leaned in.

Then the barn door swung open, and Holden arrived. He stared at the two of them, frozen in place, for a considerable amount of time.

And then he smiled, heading over to a shelf to retrieve something. “Just as well I arrived when I did,” he observed. “Don't want poor Daisy seeing something she can never forget.”

“Dad,” Luke rebuked, awkwardly separating himself from Reid.

“Just don't want her being scarred for life, that's all,” he said genially.

“Hey, I've seen how horses have sex,” Reid pointed out. “She's done much worse herself.”

“Oh my God, _Reid_ ,” Luke hissed, but Holden just kept grinning.

“Momma says dinner's nearly ready,” he announced as he made his way back out of the barn, “try not to be late?” Reaching the doorway, he paused, taking a nostalgic look around. “You know Lily and I had some...good times in this barn.”

And then he left, wearing an evil grin.

“Well,” Reid said, sharing a resigned look with Luke, “that killed the mood.”

*

It was the day of Luke's birthday, and it looked like Reid was actually going to get out of work on time. They'd spoken on the phone earlier, but he wouldn't be seeing Luke until he reached the farm in – he looked at his new watch – hopefully the next forty-five minutes.

He was standing in the corridor, making some notes on a chart, when one of the nurses – Gemma? Grace? – came up to him. “Dr Oliver? There's a patient asking to see you.”

“Tell them they need to book an appointment, just like everyone else,” he told her, but when he lowered his clipboard, he saw who was waiting.

Noah.

Dismissing the nurse and already knowing how he was going to handle this, he walked straight over to him. “Mr Mayer, if you're here to see Dr Sheppard-”

“No,” Noah interrupted, “no, I'm not. I am definitely here to see you.”

Reid observed him closely. He didn't seem particularly angry, but... “If you want to punch me I'll give you one free shot – but that's all. Being blind doesn't give you special dispensation.”

He actually smiled, amazingly. “Uh, I'm fine, thanks. I just...needed to talk to you.”

Seeing as he was staying so calm, Reid saw no reason not to. “You want some privacy?”

“No, it's okay,” Noah shook his head. “This won't take long. I know you're...probably on your way to Luke's birthday party,” he finished, not looking very happy about saying it.

“Well,” Reid cleared his throat, “what did you need?”

“Just to tell you that,” he set his shoulders, “I'd like you to be my doctor, again. And I definitely want you to perform my surgery.”

Blinking, Reid could only express his shock. “I'm...surprised,” he admitted. “I thought you'd want nothing to do with me.”

“I didn't,” Noah agreed, “but Lily and Holden talked to me – Casey as well. And while I still don't...like what happened, they helped me see past that – that I need to think of myself.” As far as Reid was concerned, Noah thinking only of himself had been the problem all along.

He kept that theory to himself.

“You're the best there is,” Noah explained, “the only doctor who could even try and fix me. If I want to have any hope of ever seeing again...then it has to be you.”

Reid was certainly aware that Noah was playing to his ego, but he also seemed to be telling the truth. “Very well, Noah. If we can both continue being professional about this, I'd be happy to resume my duties as your doctor.”

“Great,” Noah said, a smile spreading across his face. “Just, do me a favour? Don't ever tell me how well things are going with you and Luke.” He scrunched his nose up, showing his displeasure at the thought. “I want him to be happy, I just...don't want the details.”

Reid could understand that. “That I can do.”

“And...”

What else did the guy want? “What else?”

Noah looked hesitant. “Wish Luke a happy birthday for me?”

“I'm not your personal messenger boy,” Reid pointed out. “There's no reason you can't talk to him yourself.”

“Yeah, I'm...” Noah lowered his head. “Still not ready for that.”

“Well get ready,” he instructed. “And when you finally have the balls to speak to him, I know he'd like to hear from you.”

Raising his head, Noah shook it from side to side. “You're never going to make this easy for me, are you?”

“No,” he said bluntly. “I never did before and I'm not about to start now. So, I will see you at...” He rifled through the information in his brain, “Wednesday at 2 o'clock. Now, if you'll excuse me,” Reid glanced at his watch again, “I've got a birthday party to get to.”

*

The bad news was, the Snyder farm was even busier than it'd been the night of Reid's first meal there. The good news was, the weather was pleasant enough – at least with a jacket – that tables and chairs had been set up outside to give more space.

The party was well underway by the time Reid got there. There was music quietly pumping in the background as it seemed that Snyder parties were mostly about talking, and not dancing.

He spotted Luke, eventually, in the family room, but he was surrounded by so many people that Reid retreated to the buffet instead. The entire table was covered in dishes of food – he'd seen more outside, too – and he honestly didn't know what to try first. Grabbing one of the paper plates, Reid decided to start by just trying one of everything and began piling the food onto his plate.

Chewing on a piece of melon, he stumbled when someone bumped into him.

It was Casey. “Uh, sorry, doc,” he said, then eyed the impressive amount of food already stacked on Reid's plate. “You got enough food there?”

“No,” he replied, shoving something cheesy in his mouth.

“Right,” Casey said, as he added a few more pieces to his own plate. “Luke says things are going well,” he added casually, “with the two of you.”

Pausing his chewing, Reid stared at him. “They are.”

“Good,” he nodded, grabbing a handful of chips, dumping them on his plate. “I've been talking to Noah.”

“He said,” Reid replied.

“He came and saw you?” Casey asked, paused in the action of reaching for something else. When Reid nodded, he finally reached his goal, retrieving a spoon of cold pasta and empting the contents onto his plate. “Glad I finally got through to him,” he muttered, returning the spoon. “Look,” he finally announced, turning towards Reid, and this was obviously what he'd been building towards from the start. “Luke's not gonna stop hanging out with me just because the two of you are a thing.”

Reid grabbed something else from his plate, frowning at Casey. “I wouldn't expect him to.”

“Right – good!” Casey added. “So if I'm gonna be around and you're gonna be around, we should...probably try and get along.”

Huh. Reid looked at him. “I don't dislike you.”

Surprised, Casey did a double-take. “You don't?”

“Well,” he admitted, “no more than I dislike people in general. Look,” he explained, “I know you've been a good friend to Luke. I know that he cares about you. So I won't be any more of a dick to you than I absolutely have to.”

“Thanks?” Casey asked, scrunching up his face.

“You're welcome,” Reid said generously, finally taking a bite of his food. It was pretty good, definitely had some mustard in it and...blinking, Reid looked down at what he was holding in his hand. It was party sized, having been cut into smaller pieces, but he was eating a sandwich. He was eating _bread_.

Paranoid, he tried eating the rest of it, but – it was fine. He could swallow it, enjoy it, taste it.

This was fantastic.

Shoving a few dishes around so he could squeeze his plate onto the table, Reid then proceeded to eat only sandwiches for the time being, always have at least one in his hand at all times.

“Are you okay?” Casey asked as he watched, looking seriously concerned.

“I am now,” Reid mumbled, cheeks full of food. “I've missed you,” he told one sandwich, holding it up to the light like it was a rare piece of treasure.

“Right,” Casey said. “I'm gonna go – over there.”

Reid was left alone with his sandwiches but, right then, that was all he really wanted anyway.

*

Reid had to stop eating sandwiches eventually, but it was only because Luke found him.

“How long have you been here?” Luke asked, giving him a kiss that gave Reid something a lot better to hold than sandwiches.

“A while,” he admitted afterwards, “couldn't stand the thought of trying to force my way through the crowd of Snyder's to get to you, though.”

“I'm sorry,” Luke said sympathetically, “you wanna go outside?”

“As long as you come with me,” he said honestly, which made Luke kiss him again. It turned a little deeper, a little dirtier than it really should have, especially around Luke's family, but if Luke didn't care than Reid sure as hell didn't.

“Do you have to do that next to the food?” Lucinda's voice interrupted, causing them to break apart and look at her. “I'm quite sure that's not hygienic.”

“Oh, leave them alone, Lucinda,” Emma rebuked, coming to stand next to her. “They're young, let them have their fun. Goodness knows, life has proven recently that we should grab happiness whenever we can.”

Reid definitely agreed with that sentiment.

“I'm not opposed to the 'fun' at all,” Lucinda insisted. “In fact, I agree with you. I want Luke to enjoy all the happiness that life has to offer.” She gave him a fond look. “But,” then she gestured to the table, “right next to the crab cakes? Really?”

“Oh, just stop it already,” Emma muttered, hustling her away – much to Lucinda's well-voiced disgust.

Shaking his head at them, Reid watched them go. “You know, I actually like your Grandmothers.”

“They're great, right?” Luke agreed, an arm still around him. “I know my family's...unconventional,” he nodded to where Damian and Holden were bickering about something, “but I'm so lucky to have them all. And you,” he added, turning to face him fully, “the honorary member,” he teased. “In fact,” he continued, a wicked tilt coming into his voice, “seeing as I am the birthday boy, I was wondering if there was a special present you could give me.” Reid felt his face actually go hot. “Later tonight,” Luke added, voice dropping, “in your bed.”

Apparently, Luke had had more than enough time to deal with his concerns when it came to sex. Maybe their epic make out sessions had helped. Whatever the reason, he was more than happy to oblige.

Reid had to clear his throat. “If you're ready,” he said truthfully, “you can have anything you want.”

“Trust me,” Luke said boldly, looking him in the eye, “physically, emotionally – I'm definitely ready.”

Reid stared at him. “I need to make a phone call.” Extracting himself from Luke's hold, Reid hurried out of the house, pulling out of his phone. He had to walk some distance until he was sure the background noise wouldn't be too loud, and then he finally made the call.

“Hey!” Katie greeted. “How's the party goin-”

“I need you and Jacob to clear out for the night,” Reid said in no uncertain terms.

She took a few seconds. “I...okay, why?”

“Luke wants to spend the night.”

“Spend the night?” she asked. “Or _spend the night?_ ” He could practically hear her eyebrows waggling.

“The second one, clearly. Look, can you do it or not?”

“Don't worry,” Katie promised, “though you know you could always get a hotel room-”

“There's no way we're doing that,” Reid insisted. “Who knows how many other people have had sex in those beds? Not to mention...it's Luke. It shouldn't be in some random bed. It should be somewhere familiar, some place he's comfortable with.”

“You are so cute,” she announced, probably just to annoy him, “but your wingwoman has got this. I'll give Margo or Henry a call. Hell – Jacob and I will stay in a hotel ourselves if we have to.”

“I will literally pay for your room if it gets you out of there,” he encouraged.

“Slow your horses, Romeo,” Katie joked. “Let me call the others first and I'll send you a message when I know exactly what's happening. And Reid?”

“Yeah?”

“I hope it's as special as you want it to be,” she said warmly, then ended the call.

Staring at his phone for a moment, Reid decided that he'd been really lucky to ever meet Katie and the drool monster. Smiling to himself, he turned to share the news with Luke when he saw that Damian was literally standing two feet away.

Staring at him.

His good mood vanished. “Damian.”

“Reid.”

The last time Reid had seen him, he'd been arguing with Holden. How long had he been standing there? Knowing Reid's luck, he'd probably heard that entire conversation. “Is there a problem?”

Damian just keep staring at him. “Keep doing what you're doing,” he said simply but intensely, “and we won't have one.”

As he watched Damian walk away, Reid had the definite feeling that he'd just dodged a bullet – probably literally.

Reid had only just made it back into the house himself when the music suddenly cut out and Lily announced it was time for the cake and presents. Looking around for something, Luke had evidently been searching for Reid because when he found him, he made a point of telling everyone they were doing everything outside.

As everyone started filing out of the house, Reid walked up to him, knowing why Luke had done it. “That was very kind of you, Mr Snyder,” he said, reaching out to touch Luke's side.

“Anything that helps you breathe a little easier,” he shrugged, before grabbing his hand, leading him outside. “C'mon.”

A few minutes later, Lily and Holden produced a huge cake from somewhere – Reid had no idea where they'd been hiding that thing. They all sang Happy Birthday – even Reid got involved, though not as loudly as everyone else – then started chanting for Luke to make a wish as he blew out the candles.

When Luke looked at him afterwards, Reid was pretty sure he knew what the wish was.

The presents were revealed next and, though there were a fair number so it took a while, he wasn't surprised to see nothing especially expensive. He'd ragged on Luke a lot in the past for having money, but most of his family didn't live like they had it. There were one or two pricey items, but mostly it was thoughtful, hand-made gifts.

Luke showed great appreciation for everything he received, usually hugging the gift-giver and thanking them profusely.

Finally, then, it was Reid's turn. He felt more than a little circumspect, having that many people staring at him when he wasn't speaking at a medical conference.

Luke obviously noticed. “We can do this in private, if that'd help,” he offered quietly.

But Reid wasn't backing down. “Nah, I need to get used to this anyway, right? Attending a bunch of these Snyder shindigs?”

A huge smile spread across Luke's face. “Is that your way of saying you're planning on hanging around, Dr Oliver?”

“Funny you should mention that,” Reid remarked. “That's part of your present.” They hadn't talked about it much since that initial conversation in the barn, for now just enjoying being together. But one of them had to make the decision eventually.

That grabbed Luke's attention. “What is?”

It'd taken some time to work the details out, but... “As from next month, you're looking at the new Head of Neurology at Memorial Hospital.”

It was entertaining, watching the emotions play across Luke's face – surprise, to shock, to joy – and then Luke was grabbing him. “You're serious? You're really staying? Even after Noah's surgery?”

“I'm staying,” Reid confirmed, unable to stop smiling at Luke's happiness and when Luke threw his arms around him Reid just hugged him back.

It was big step, he knew. An even bigger risk. But Emma was right – after everything he'd been through Reid had to grab his happiness wherever he could and, crazy as it sounded, that was right here in Oakdale.

“Wait,” Luke realised, stepping back from the hug, “this is only part of my present?” He looked like he didn't think anything could possibly top that news.

Reid was hoping he was wrong. Reaching into his suit jacket, he removed a folded piece of paper from the inside pocket. “This,” he informed Luke, “is the rest of your present.”

Taking the paper eagerly, Luke unfolded it and frowned, trying to make sense of the contents.

“It's not really a gift from me as much as it's a gift from random chance,” Reid observed. “I mean, sure, I had the idea to look into it, but it all would've been for nothing if we hadn't-”

“-been a match,” Luke said, face stunned as he looked back up at Reid seriously. “Are you sure about this?”

“Never been more sure of anything.”

Lowering the paper, Luke stepped towards him with wonder in his eyes. “You really don't do anything half-way, do you?”

“Never saw the point in half-measures,” Reid shrugged. “You either commit, or you don't do it at all.”

Luke clearly didn't know what to do with himself. “I can't...I don't...” He waved the piece of paper around. “What are the odds?”

“Of a perfect match from an unrelated donor? It's a probability of .00001.” Which was another way of saying 1 in 100,000 but he knew saying it in decimal sounded much more impressive.

“Of course you know the answer,” Luke said, shaking his head with a smile. “I still can't...” He grabbed Reid's arms, letting the paper fall to the floor. “You're really sure?”

Of course he was. “Even in the best of circumstances, transplanted kidney's don't last forever – especially if they're not a familial match. Yours has already been through a lot, so whenever it does eventually crap out...” He let the sentence run off. “I know you had a lot of trouble, last time, trying to find a match, even with a whole brood of Snyder's.” No doubt because they weren't related by blood. “But the next time you need a kidney...you've already got a back up ready and waiting.”

It wasn't a hug this time, but a kiss – a good one. Reid thought there might have even been a round of applause, but he was frankly too dazed to be sure.

Later, when they were pressed up against each other on the bench, stuffed full of cake, Holden walked up to them.

He didn't even bother asking to speak to Reid alone, this time. Instead he just bent over, placed a hand on Reid's shoulder and said, “I knew I was right about you.” When he left, Reid just blinked after him.

“I should offer to donate organs every day,” he remarked, when Lily brought him yet another drink. He hadn't really thought about how anyone else would react – he'd only cared what Luke thought – but their reaction was something else. Reid was the most popular he'd ever been in his life.

It'd been overwhelming, to be honest, as one Snyder-slash-Walsh-slash-Grimaldi after another approached, offering their thanks and then their support, if Reid ever needed anything.

“You're keeping the rest of those organs right where I can see them, mister,” Luke ordered.

“Well,” he drawled, “I am aware that, tonight, there's really only one organ you want to see anyway.”

His intention had been for Luke to laugh, or roll his eyes – both would've been nice. Instead, Luke studied him with a heavy-lidded gaze, eyes travelling slowly up and down Reid's body. “Let's go to your place now.”

Reid straightened up. There was no issue for him with doing that – Katie had already messaged that she'd cleared out. “What about...?” he asked, nodding around at the party that was still very much going on – in Luke's honour.

“We've done all the stuff I needed to be here for. They'll barely miss us,” Luke insisted, standing up. “I'll grab my things and let someone know we're leaving.”

He only had to wait a few minutes for Luke to return – Reid suspected he'd had a bag packed already. Luckily they avoided any awkward farewells, silently escaping when most people were distracted.

Despite his anticipation, Reid stuck to the speed limit and drove extremely safely all the way to his place – it'd be just his luck if they had an accident now – and when they reached the apartment, he immediately set about locking the door for the night, so they wouldn't have to worry about it later.

When that was done, he grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge, and found Luke in the bedroom. He was sitting on the edge of Reid's bed, smoothing his hands across the covers. Placing the water on the bedside table, he sat next to him.

“You still sure?” he asked seriously.

“Very,” Luke agreed. “But I was sitting here thinking that I didn't ask you the same thing, and I should have. Are you ready for this?”

He never thought he would be, but...yeah. He really was. “If you come over here,” he promised, “I'll show you just how ready I am.”

That interaction ended up defining the whole night, really. Just as Reid had predicted it was fun having sex with Luke. He was as generous and entertaining in bed as he was everywhere else.

They just kissed for a while at first, both a little tense from the anticipation. As they relaxed they both started smiling, joking around more, and the clothes finally started coming off.

Luke had been a little shy at first, complaining that his body wasn't in its best condition as he was technically still recovering and wasn't back into a workout routine yet. Reid just told him he was gorgeous – honestly believing it himself – and sucked Luke's dick until he forgot all about it.

Luke clearly enjoyed getting his dick sucked a lot – not a surprise, most guys did – and he was plainly close to coming when he frantically tapped Reid on his shoulder. Lifting his head back up, mouth now empty, Reid gasped up at him. “Need me to stop?”

Shaking his head, Luke had something else in mind. “Can you rim me until I come?”

Reid smirked.

If Luke enjoyed getting blown, he absolutely loved getting rimmed, gasping and moaning on Reid's tongue, kicking his legs out occasionally. He knew what he wanted too, telling Reid when to use a finger, then two.

“Bossy,” Reid commented, but frankly he liked it, and did exactly as Luke asked. When Luke finally came – with Reid's fingers rubbing his prostate and his own hand on his dick – Reid was so hot and bothered that it only took a quick few strips of his own dick until he was coming, too, with a satisfied groan.

He chose not to move for a while after that, just laying there listening to the two of them pant, slowly getting their breath back.

“That. Was. Awesome!” Luke enthused, when he had his energy back.

Quietly laughing at him, Reid rolled towards him. “I hope this is putting all your fears to rest.”

“And then some,” he agreed, with what, by now, seemed like a permanent grin etched on his face. “I feel really good about myself,” he admitted.

“You should,” Reid told him, “and not just because you're the hottest thing in Oakdale.”

“Just Oakdale?” he teased, moving to push Reid onto his back, straddling his body.

“Illinois,” Reid amended, grinning up at him.

“Just Illinois?” Luke queried with a devilish grin.

“This could go on for a while,” he said as he sat up to kiss him.

Luke was ready to go again sooner than Reid was, but decided that turnabout was fair play and that he'd be the one to torment Reid, this time.

After Reid had explained that he really liked having his balls played with, Luke decided to make that his area of study. Being another guy and no-doubt familiar with his own balls, Luke used just the right amount of pressure from the get-go.

Laying back, Reid just let Luke get on with it. It felt really good as Luke carefully played with his balls for a while, especially when he encouraged Luke to use his mouth as well. When Luke lowered his head and suddenly his tongue was on Reid's perineum, Reid was most definitely back and ready for action.

Seeing the effect he'd had, Luke sat back up smugly, then reached for the condoms they'd put on the bedside table. “I want you inside me,” he told Reid with a heated gaze, and that was not a demand Reid was about to refuse.

He didn't get right to it, though, instead eating Luke out for a while again. This time he used more fingers, wanting to open him up as much as possible. Luke had admitted it'd been quite some time since Noah had fucked him, so Reid wanted it to be as painless as possible.

Finally, though, he – and Luke – had had enough. “You gotta stop, you gotta stop, I'm gonna come,” Luke demanded, pulling away from Reid and turning himself over onto his back. “Come on,” he said, splaying his legs, “I want you to fuck me.”

Reid needed to take a moment, and took it. When he was done, he nodded. “This way?”

“Yeah,” Luke encouraged, biting his lip, “I wanna see you.”

Reid was honestly worried that seeing Luke's face, his reactions to being fucked, would greatly impair his staying power – but he wasn't about to say no. Making sure the condom was on properly, he smeared his cock with lube, moved into position, and started guiding his dick into Luke's well-lubed hole.

It was tight, of course, and at first Luke seemed to be resisting. After a few moments, though, he could see Luke letting go, tension flooding out of his body and then it was so much easier. He was still careful, pressing inside inch by tantalising inch, and finally he was all the way in and they were grinning at each other.

“Hi,” Luke said.

“Hi,” Reid said back. “I'm gonna fuck you now.”

“Sounds good,” Luke replied, then leaned up to kiss him.

Thankfully for Reid's ego, he did manage to last a little longer than he thought he would. He set a decent rhythm – not too slow to drag things out, not so fast it'd be over in seconds – and they kissed and gasped and just enjoyed themselves. He slipped out a couple of times after a few too-enthusiastic thrusts, but after re-adjusting they were right back at it again.

Reid had been jerking Luke off whenever he could, trying to time the movements to the thrusts, but in the end he was so close himself that he couldn't keep doing it anymore. He knew Luke was close too, from the noises he was making and the way he kept covering his face.

“Jerk yourself...off,” Reid told him on the tail-end of another thrust. He really wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer.

Luke did as he was told, though, grabbing his dick with one hand and just going to town. Clearly, this was going to be over for him almost as soon as it was for Reid.

Knowing it was nearly over Reid just went for it, thrusting mindlessly, over and over until there was nothing he could do to stop it anymore. He thought maybe Luke came at the same time, but he was still lost in the throes of his own orgasm, which was particularly long and hard.

One of them moved at some point. The condom got taken off. Reid's legs were tingling.

“Oh my God we are good at that,” Luke's voice said next to him.

“Yep,” he agreed, managing a grin.

“We are doing that all the time,” he insisted.

“Yep.” This was a plan Reid was 100% down with.

Luke was quiet for a while. “You can't say anything else right now, can you?”

“Yep,” Reid said again, and then he had a smiling Luke on top of him, giving him a laugh-filled kiss.

Pulling away from the kiss, Luke just looked down at him. “This really was the best birthday ever. Like, seriously. No other birthdays compare.”

“Told you sex with me would be awesome.”

“It's not because of the sex, though,” Luke said thoughtfully. “Well, not just that – because it was incredible. It's just...” he played with Reid's hair, looking at him. “You. How loving and generous you are.”

Looking back up at him, at how serious he was and how much it clearly meant to him, Reid couldn't argue against it for once. “You make it easy.” He really did, because he knew that if it'd been anyone other than Luke he'd been trapped with in those cells, they never would've ended up here, with Reid finally willing to take the chance he'd never expected to take. “Like you said – we make a good team.” Clearly whatever they were doing was working, and it was only working because they were doing it together.

“A great team,” he corrected. “You could even say...a perfect match. Get it?” Luke asked, grinning at his own joke, “because of-”

“Yeah, yeah I get it,” Reid told him. “I get it, you dork.”

Grinning to himself, Reid shook his head. He was doomed to a life filled with bad puns – and the hell of it was, he was even looking forward to it.

They really were a perfect match.

~FINIS


End file.
